water position paper - territory labor
TRANSCRIPT
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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