Closed consultations

Read about the consultation draft Northern Territory Biodiversity Offsets Policy prepared by the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security. Stakeholders were invited to provide written submissions on the draft Policy and associated Technical Guidelines by 14 November 2022.

Read about the consultation draft Environment Protection Legislation Amendment (Chain of Responsibility) Bill 2022 prepared by the  Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security. Stakeholders were invited to provide written submissions on the draft Bill by 3 August 2022.

A draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Offsets Policy, which incorporates the Technical Guidelines, has been developed for public consultation.

The NT Government’s Climate Change Response includes a range of actions designed to support the achievement of the net zero emissions by 2050 target. One of these actions is the development of a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Offsets Policy. This policy will guide the use of offsets as a tool to support the decarbonisation of industry in the Territory

Public consultation closed on 15 October 2021.

Get the Consultation Draft PDF (931.1 KB).

On 5 February 2021, the minister responsible for the environment announced a proposal to prohibit subsea mining in the Northern Territory, including a six month extension to the existing seabed mining moratorium. This announcement was made following consideration of reports from the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority and the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority.

A draft declaration to prohibit subsea mining PDF (119.9 KB) has been prepared including a statement of reasons for the draft declaration PDF (772.7 KB). A copy of these documents may also be requested from the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security by emailing environment.policy@nt.gov.au.

Public submissions closed on 21 June 2021.

The draft joint management plan for Arltunga Historical Reserve is now open for public comment.

The priorities for the management of the reserve are:

1. Making joint management work - Traditional Owners and the Northern Territory Government working together to build a strong and equitable partnership.
2. Looking after culture and country – protect the reserve’s natural and cultural values and incorporate Aboriginal knowledge and interests into management.
3. Visitor experiences – the undeveloped, wild and remote character of the reserve will continue as a key tourist attraction.

Get the draft plan PDF (8.1 MB) or pick up a copy from:

Department of Tourism, Sport and Culture
Tom Hare Building AZRI
South Stuart Highway
Alice Springs NT 0871

Public submissions closed on 5 March 2021.

There is a continuing need to review the conservation status of wildlife species in the Northern Territory and to update the ‘Classification of Wildlife’, which includes the threatened species list for the NT.

It is important that we correctly identify which species are threatened and to what degree. Through this process we can provide accurate advice in environmental impact assessment and approval processes on the likely impacts to threatened species. The Classification of Wildlife also allows us to prioritise and plan management actions and conservation programs to conserve threatened species.

The Classification of Wildlife was last revised in 2012 and the Flora and Fauna Division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has now completed the first stage of another review.

There are 39 proposed changes to the Threatened Species List, plus a variety of changes updating the taxonomy of species in the Classification of Wildlife document.

Read about the proposed changes.

The period of public consultation commenced on 25 January 2021 and submissions closed on 24 February 2021.

Draft Environment Protection Regulations to support the Environment Protection Act 2019 were released for consultation and are available on the regulations consultation website.

The website also contains supporting documentation designed to assist you in understanding and considering the draft regulations.

This is now closed for public consultation.

Following consultation with industry and key stakeholders, the department has finalised a draft trade policy for review. This is a general policy developed as part of the water regulatory reform proposals outlined in the Directions Paper.

This is now closed for public consultation.

The draft Oolloo Dolostone Aquifer Water Allocation Plan 2019-2029 is now closed for public consultation.

All submissions will be considered prior to finalising the water allocation plan.

For further information contact:
Water Resources Division
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Email: waterresources@nt.gov.au
Phone: 08 8951 9214

The final Oolloo Dolostone Aquifer Water Allocation Plan 2019-2029 is expected to be declared soon after all submissions have been assessed.

Refer to Oolloo Water Allocation Plan page for more information.

The draft Oolloo Dolostone Aquifer Water Allocation Plan 2019-2029 is now closed for public consultation.

All submissions will be considered prior to finalising the water allocation plan.

For further information contact:
Water Resources Division
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Email: waterresources@nt.gov.au
Phone: 08 8951 9214

The final Oolloo Dolostone Aquifer Water Allocation Plan 2019-2029 is expected to be declared soon after all submissions have been assessed.

Refer to Oolloo Water Allocation Plan page for more information.

The draft Ti Tree Water Allocation Plan 2019-2029 PDF (3.1 MB) is now closed for public consultation.

All submissions will be considered prior to finalising the water allocation plan.

For further information contact:
Water Resources Division
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Email: waterresources@nt.gov.au
Phone: 08 8999 4444

The final Ti Tree Water Allocation Plan 2019-2029 is expected to be declared soon after all submissions have been assessed.

Refer to Ti Tree Water Allocation Plan for more information.

The NT Government is asking for feedback and input into the review of the statutory weed management plans for chinee apple, mesquite, prickly acacia and neem. These are all classed as noxious weeds in the Northern Territory.

The discussion papers have been developed to encourage conversation and feedback on the review of the statutory plans. They provide an explanation on what the existing plans aim to achieve and determine if the government, alongside landholders, are reaching targets and objectives.

• Discussion Paper: Review of the 2015 Weed Management Plans for chinee apple, mesquite and prickly acacia PDF (2.3 MB)
• Discussion Paper: Review of the Weed Management Plan for neem PDF (1.6 MB)

Consultation closed on 17 May 2019.

For further information contact the Weed Management Branch

The government recently passed amendments to the Nuclear Waste Transport, Storage and Disposal (Prohibition) Act 2004 (the Act) to clarify the application of the Act to industries operating in waters offshore of the Northern Territory.

The draft Nuclear Waste Transport, Storage and Disposal (Prohibition) Regulations 2019 PDF (197.1 KB) will support the changes to the Act and provide additional certainty to industry and the community.

Community feedback on the draft Regulations was invited.

Refer to the Nuclear Waste Transport, Storage and Disposal (Prohibition) Regulations 2019 for more information.

Consultation on the draft Regulations was open for public comment over a period of four weeks and closed on 31 March 2019. One confidential submission was received.

The Nuclear Waste Transport, Storage and Disposal (Prohibition) Regulations 2019 was Gazetted 13 May 2019.

The Northern Territory Government is reforming the Water Act 1992 to make sure we have a strong regulatory framework for the sustainable and accountable management of our water resources now and into the future.

The reform process has begun and there’s an opportunity for you to have your say.

A Directions Paper has been drafted to provide an overview of the existing regulatory framework, the case for reform and the proposed areas for reform.

The Northern Territory Government invites you to comment on the first ever draft management program for Terminalia ferdinandiana, known more commonly as Kakadu Plum.

Aboriginal people have a long history of medicinal and customary use of Kakadu Plum, a small to medium sized tree endemic to the monsoonal tropics of northern Australia, which is becoming increasingly commercialised due to its extraordinary health benefits.

The tree is well known for having high levels of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and is also documented as having high levels of Ellagic Acid, which has anti-oxidant values; making it an attractive natural ingredient for its nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, anti-microbial and preservative values.

The document has been prepared in partnership with Charles Darwin University and EcOz Environmental consulting.

Download a copy of the draft Kakadu Plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana) Management Plan PDF (1.5 MB)

The minister responsible for the environment has announced the release of the draft environment protection Bill and draft environment protection Regulations for public consultation.

This draft legislation introduces reforms to the Territory’s environmental impact assessment and approvals framework.

Work to reform the Territory’s legislative framework for managing wastes, pollution, land clearing and the environmental impacts of mining is continuing.

Draft legislation to deliver improvements to that framework is expected to be released during 2019.

Territorians were invited to have their say on a draft Strategic Regional Environmental Baseline Assessment (SREBA) Framework.

The draft SREBA Framework was developed in response to the recommendations of the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory (Final Report), which described the importance of undertaking detailed pre-development baseline studies for prospective onshore unconventional petroleum resources, before production approvals for gas developments were granted.

The Framework seeks to translate the intent of the Final Report into detailed technical guidance on how to undertake these baseline studies. The Framework describes:

• technical guidance covers the domains of:
  • water quality and quantity
  • aquatic ecosystems
  • terrestrial ecosystems
  • greenhouse gas emissions
  • environmental health and
  • social, cultural and economic studies
• the proposed roles of Government, industry and the community
• governance arrangements in determining when a SREBA is required, its authorisation and management
• the management and use of the information it generates.

Read the draft Strategic Regional Environmental Baseline Assessment (SREBA) Framework PDF (3.1 MB).

Consultation closed 14 February 2020.