The Native Title Holders of Singleton Station are continuing their fight against the massive water licence granted to Fortune Agribusiness to grow fruit and vegetables. They've launched a fresh appeal against a Supreme Court decision which dismissed their legal challenge over whether the NT government acted lawfully by granting the licence.
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00:00From the ashes and the smoke, new hopes for a just future.
00:07Water is important. We've got to think about our next generations. It's not going to affect
00:14me, it's going to affect our next generations.
00:20These native tidal holders from a cattle station in central Australia have escalated their
00:25legal fight against one of the most substantial groundwater licences granted in this country's
00:31history. They say the 40,000 megalitre water licence allocated to Fortune Agribusiness
00:38by the NT government to irrigate fruit and vegetables at Singleton Station is too much
00:44and will put sacred sites and the ecosystem at risk.
00:47We want Territorial to think about us when they vote. None of the major parties are protecting
00:58our water rights and sites.
01:01In January, the Supreme Court dismissed their legal challenge over whether the NT government
01:07acted lawfully when it considered and re-granted the licence. This week, they're appealing
01:13that decision in the Court of Appeal.
01:16We're hoping that the court will make the right decision. We are saying no, I think
01:27that is too much water to be taken for our generations.
01:33Their lawyer, Chris Young, argued the government did not have enough information about potential
01:39impacts before granting such a massive amount of water. The NT government's lawyer told
01:44the court the impacts to ecosystems and groundwater were considered. The panel of judges reserved
01:50their decision.