The Keep Top End Coasts Healthy alliance congratulates Chief Minister Michael Gunner and his Territory Labor team on being returned to government and looks forward to working with them to deliver their commitment to protect our Top End coasts.
Adele Pedder, Director of the alliance said “The Territory has one of the last remaining intact tropical coastlines in the world, which underpins much of our Top End lifestyle, jobs, culture and economy. Territorians railed against the lack of management and protection of our coasts and made it a key issue this election.
“Our coasts contribute $2billion to the Territory economy every year, supporting more than 6,000 jobs. But the future of our coasts are under threat. Fishing in places like Darwin Harbour is not as good as it used to be. Mangroves are being destroyed, pollution is increasingly a problem and our rivers and their estuaries are threatened by the spectre of industrial scale dams.
“The future of the Territory’s famous coastline depends on sound, community led management making best use of solutions tailored to the Territory, including seacountry Indigenous Protected Areas, enhanced recreational fishing measures, marine parks like Limmen Bight that deliver jobs for tourism and Indigenous Rangers, and healthy flowing rivers that can continue to sustain our regional economies and lifestyle.
“Given how important the Top End coasts are to Territorians, it is not surprising therefore that coasts scooped the pool this election – all parties committed to implementing the Plan to safeguard our coasts, culture and fishing lifestyle*.
“In the last term of government, the Gunner Government developed a plan for the Territory’s coasts – the NT Coastal and Marine Management Strategy**. But it remains unfunded and unimplemented. Post election Territorians are expecting the Gunner Government to deliver on its commitment to implement the plan, starting with the October Budget.
“We look forward to working with the new Gunner Government, local communities and stakeholders to ensure the plan to protect our coasts is properly resourced and implemented to safeguard the future of our coasts” concluded Ms Pedder.
Notes to editors
*Commitments made by the political parties can be viewed here.
**The NT Coastal and Marine Management Strategy is here.
ENDS