Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the shameful Middle Arm petrochemical hub that the Labor government is forcing on Territorians. Middle Arm will see a one-thousand-kilometre petrochemical precinct built on the outskirts of Darwin, entirely predicated on the export of gas. Middle Arm poses significant threats to the health of the people of the NT. There is an extensive risk of toxic air pollution, of carcinogenic pollution and of industrial accidents—not to mention the risk that Middle Arm poses to groundwater and soil contamination, water scarcity and social disruption.

There is overwhelming evidence of the harm to communities near fracking operations, including pregnancy complications, birth defects, childhood cancers, asthma and hospitalisations. And this doesn't even touch the sides of the other catastrophic health risks that come as a result of climate change, which the Middle Arm gas precinct will accelerate. In September, a UN special rapporteur visited Darwin and declared that petrochemical oil and gas projects threaten to make Darwin and the region a 'climate change sacrifice' zone. The rapporteur also said that Middle Arm and the toxic substances would releases would raise health concerns, such as asthma, heart disease and various forms of cancer, in neighbouring communities. What we're talking about is a 30 per cent greater risk of leukaemia for people living near the precinct.

With billions of dollars of subsidies from the Labor government pouring into the project, it might be worthwhile for them to own up to the sheer level of danger they're subjecting Territorians to with this plan. But of course, in typical Labor fashion, instead of fessing up to it, they've obfuscated and refused to be honest with the people whose lives they're gambling with. The Labor government, in lockstep with the NT government, are refusing to tell the truth. They're refusing to tell the truth about jobs that aren't going to materialise, they're refusing to tell the truth about the health impacts and they're refusing to tell the truth about the real purpose of Middle Arm.

The entire business case for Middle Arm is predicated on the export of gas—something we only know through freedom-of-information processes. The NT government even went so far as to scrub the word 'petrochemical' from public-facing materials. Who do these Labor governments think they actually work for? What a pathetic state of affairs this is; we have all of the markings of a petrostate, with none of the benefits. We have ministers and department staff running defence for coal and gas corporations just so these corporations can offshore all their profits and gamble with the health of Territorians—that's disgusting. Larrakia leaders have warned that the development of Middle Arm could lead to another Juukan Gorge—to the destruction of important sites. Significant sites are threatened by direct clearing for construction, and there's ecological degradation and pollution from the industrial activities of the precinct. The federal and Northern Territory Labor governments are running, knowingly and gladly, headfirst into another catastrophe like Juukan Gorge.

Prominent Territorians have called this the largest project in the NT since colonisation. The federal and NT Labor governments must show that they meaningfully respect the lands of Aboriginal people Australia wide. They must seek free, prior and informed consent. The federal and NT Labor governments must engage in their duty of care to be transparent about the impacts of gas and petrochemical projects, and must stop subsidies to, and support for , fossil fuel companies. The Northern Territory and the people who live there must not be treated as a sacrifice zone so that the federal government can solidify their international relationships and can cosy up with gas corporations. If we care about a future for Territorians we need to end gas now. To all Territorians, we say: 'Keep causing good trouble. And keep fighting these utterly captured petrostate Labor parties,' because we won't stop fighting in this place too.

Senate adjourned at 20 : 14