POLICY POSITION PAPER

LABOR'S PLAN FORWATER SECURITYFOR ALLTERRITORIANS

Water is crucial for social, cultural, environmental andeconomic life.

A Territory Labor Government will deliver the NorthernTerritory Strategic Water Plan; the Territory's first long-term comprehensive approach to sustainably manageour water resources.

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OUR PLAN

PRINCIPLES

The Plan will be guided by the following principles:

         

Water Security

Water for people - and ensuring environmental and cultural flows -

comes first. Priorities are: 1) Water for drinking, 2) Water for growing,

and 3) Water for making valuable products.

          

Science and Sustainability

Science and the long-term sustainability of our water resources must

guide all decisions.

        

Maximise the Public Good

Public resources must be allocated fairly, maximise the public good,

and optimise social, cultural, environmental and economic outcomes

to support a high quality of life for all Territorians.

        

Water Efficiency

Ensuring water is delivered and used efficiently through supply-side

and demand-side management, including conservation, reuse and

recycling to ensure water security.

         

Sustainable Industry and Local Jobs Security

Ensuring existing and emerging industries in the Territory have

access to long-term water supply to secure permanent local jobs.

       

Preparing for the Future

Planning for changes in water availability and demand to secure our

natural resources and provide a strong economy for future

generations.

         

Trust

The community are engaged and have faith in the fairness,

accountability and transparency of decisions, including water

allocation and trading.

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OUR ACTIONS

Water security audit, including an analysis of future changes

to water supply and changes in demand from all sectors.

Comprehensive demand and supply-side management

strategy informed by the water security audit and assessing

all policy options; taking into account best practice and

lessons from other jurisdictions.

Research and data to build knowledge and enable the

integration of advancements in technology.

Plans to maximise investment and action from the

Commonwealth Government.

Integration across all government agencies and policy areas.

Planning for the impacts of climate change including: water

for bushfires; water security in times of drought; and

consideration of changes in the hydrological cycle.

Prioritise approaches that can be easily achieved to enhance

water security.

The Plan will be informed by extensive consultation and will

include:

         

         

        

         

      

        

Community engagement and consultation with stakeholders,

including Land Councils, local governments, local industries and

environment groups, is crucial to the success of the Plan.

Territorians will be asked to contribute their experience and

ideas to ensure the Plan accurately reflects the needs of all

Territorians.

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Extensive reforms to the Water Act 1992 to protect our water

now and into the future.

Ongoing investment in Aboriginal essential services to support

growing remote communities.

Implementation of Water Allocation Plans and the reinstatement

of the Aboriginal Water Reserves Policy to protect our water and

enable development.

Re-establishment of Water Advisory Committees to ensure water

management decisions meet community expectations.

Development of smart water systems to efficiently manage our

water, including the Water Data Portal to track water level and

rainfall.

Developing a detailed business case to inform a whole-of-

government water supply strategy for the Darwin region to meet

emerging urban and agricultural growth, as well as immediate

industrial demand.

Working with the Commonwealth to invest in water

infrastructure.

Introducing the water-saving Weather Web program, which aims

to save 120 million litres of water annually using information from

rooftop weather stations.

Only Labor has the policies and the record to ensure water

security for all Territorians into the future. This long-term

comprehensive Strategic Water Plan will build on the extensive

progress made by the Labor Government over the last four years,

which includes:

     

         

         

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OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

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The Territory Labor Government has made great progress in

implementing our Sustainable Water Use policy and fixing up the

disgraceful mess that Terry Mills and the CLP left after their term in

Government.

During the last term of the CLP Government, the Territory's water

reserves were over allocated and the Aboriginal Water Reserves Policy

was scrapped.

Their reckless approach puts our water security at risk.

Terry Mills and the CLP have a track of record of promising one thing

and delivering another. They promised to lower the cost of living for

Territorians and then hit Territorians with a power price increase of

30%; increased water prices by 40%; and sewerage prices by 25%.

The CLP and Terry Mills cannot be trusted with our water.

THE ALTERNATIVE

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