The Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) say they are disappointed over the inconsistent and secretive process surrounding the Singleton Station water licence decision in April, which could see a licence extract 40,000 megalitres of groundwater a year.
A panel of groundwater experts heard from stakeholders, including the Central Land Council and Centrefarm Aboriginal Horticulture.
ALEC was planning to have a native title owner Maureen O’Keefe speak at the formal review about the effect the license would have on sacred sites, but the panel did not allow her to speak.
In their submission, ALEC argued the handling and decision to grant the license to the owners of Singleton Station, Fortune Agribusiness was unlawful.
The panel will report to the Territory’s environment minister by the end of the month, with the government saying that the panel can determine their own procedure.
ALEC Policy Officer Alex Vaughan says it shows a lack of transparency from the Territory Government, and he spoke more to CAAMA’s Philippe Perez in the audio above.
Feature image: protestors in Ali Curung objecting to the granting of a water licence to Fortune Agribusiness, owners of Singleton Station. Picture: Vin Lang.