Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has laid out her economic vision for the Northern Territory in 2025 during a keynote address to Darwin’s business community. Ahead of parliament’s return this week, she signalled plans to introduce new laws aimed at accelerating major economic projects.
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00:00A vow to repair the Territory's budget, with activists firmly in the Chief Minister's sights.
00:10Recent delaying of projects like Barossa, Singleton and Leapoint have damaged the Territory's
00:16reputation and economy.
00:18The time for lawfare and activists holding our economy to ransom is over.
00:24The country Liberal Party will this week introduce a bill to Parliament, making it harder for
00:30Territorians to dispute economic projects through a civil tribunal.
00:34Giving third parties with no specific connection to a project the right to ask for a new decision
00:40once the approvals have already been given ends under this government.
00:45These types of reviews offer members of the public a simpler and more affordable way to
00:49dispute project decisions without going through the courts.
00:53The NT government's proposal will prevent Territorians from using this process to challenge
00:58petroleum, planning and water projects, including major developments such as fracking in the
01:03Beetaloo Basin.
01:05The change has been applauded by the Minerals Council of Australia, whose chief executive
01:10said in a statement,
01:23confidence.
01:24But the move has raised alarm bells among environmental groups.
01:29It's bad decisions that delay projects.
01:31It's not accountability measures that are actually an important part of our legal system.
01:35The opposition raising concerns Territorians' interests could be sidelined.
01:40We will be very concerned with any changes that ignore the voices of Territorians, ignore
01:47the processes that Territorians have.
01:50Also in Parliament this week, the introduction of the Territory Coordinator Bill and laws
01:55allowing private security guards to work in NT prisons.