The NT Government has promised to keep almost half of the Territory free from hydraulic fracturing exploration or production activities.
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The government released its proposed map of no-go zones this morning.
Nitmiluk National Park and the Katherine township are already no go zones but the prohibition does not extend right across the Katherine municipality to the south although there was seen to be little potential for gas in those areas.
As part of recommendations from the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory, areas exempt from petroleum activity, called no-go zones, will cover 48.44 per cent (654,900 square kilometres) of the Territory.
Protected areas will include national parks, areas of high ecological value, towns and residential areas.
Nitmiluk National Park and the town of Katherine are already reserved blocks.
The government proposes to declare reserve blocks over smaller regional towns, including as examples: Mataranka, Larrimah, Daly Waters and Elliott.
The protection of these towns and residential areas from petroleum activities will also include a buffer of 2km from the town boundary through the proposed reserved block.
Mataranka's thermal pools were listed as a site of conservation significance.
The Inquiry determined, through its research and consultation, there should be areas that are off limits to any petroleum exploration or production activities, due to these areas' unique values and their important role in providing environmental, social, health and cultural benefits to surrounding communities.
In identifying these areas the Government has taken into consideration a number of existing factors such as granted exploration permits, Aboriginal Land and current land use.
The Government said it would consult with Traditional Owners through the relevant Land Councils to determine whether or not they would like to declare areas within Aboriginal Land as reserve blocks.
Territorians can now have their say on the proposed areas to be declared a reserved block via the website haveyoursay.nt.gov.au
Primary Industry and Resources Minister Paul Kirby said: "The Government has a clear plan to protect our environment, create local jobs and ensure the actions of Government and industry are transparent and accountable."
"Our Government respects the rights of Traditional Owners under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act to determine what activity occurs on their land.
"We are delivering stronger regulation and at the same time creating certainty for companies planning for onshore gas exploration this dry season."
Protect Country Alliance spokesman Graeme Sawyer said the NT Government had trashed its credibility after it defied Pepper Inquiry recommendations by allowing the creation of open air fracking waste ponds.
"The Government's no go zone mapping process also refuses protection for vital water catchment areas for major surface and underground water system, including the recharge areas for the Roper River and the internationally significant Lake Woods region," he said.
"This mapping process will also inevitably ignore opposition from Native Title holders and pastoralists across the Roper, Gulf and Barkly regions, who have no legal rights to object to fracking, but have consistently and loudly called for protection of their land."
Mudburra Traditional Owner Ray Dixon, whose land overlies the Beetaloo gas basin, said, "Origin Energy want to build a fracking gasfield in the catchment areas for Newcastle Waters and Lake Woods. My people, they cherish this country, it's like a diamond to them. We're very concerned these significant waterways will still be at risk from fracking under the government's narrow approach to no-go-zones.
"People don't realise that for the majority of Aboriginal people living in the NT, we don't have any rights to say what happens on our traditional lands. The no-go-zone process further locks in a power in balance where fracking companies can drill, frack and contaminate our land without consent."
"This is a decision that we want to make for our land, but our land does not come under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act - I have no legal right to stop fracking there. But that will not stop us from doing everything we can to protect country from risky fracking."
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