The federal government is investigating potentially illegal land clearing in the Northern Territory, where satellite images obtained by the ABC indicate swathes of unique savannas have been flattened to make room for the cotton industry.
the main points:
- Environment Minister Tanya Plibersk said reports of large-scale land clearing for cotton in the Northern Territory were “extremely troubling”.
- A study found that cotton uses a lot of land, water and machinery but creates very few jobs
- The researcher says that supporting the industry with free water is bad economics and bad environmental policy
Officials declined to say when the investigation would begin, but an investigation has been confirmed following an investigation by ABC 7.30 this week.
A spokesman for the federal Department of the Environment said it was working with the Northern Territory government “to determine whether this will be done [land clearing] Activities are in compliance with the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC), as well as relevant Territory legislation.”
Significant penalties apply for clearing land without consent if there are significant impacts on threatened species.
Individuals can be fined close to $1.5 million, while penalties for companies are up to $13.75 million and up to seven years in prison.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said reports of large-scale land clearing in the Northern Territory were “extremely troubling”.
“There should be serious consequences for anyone who does the wrong thing,” she told ABC.
A spokesperson for the Northern Territory government said the federal government had previously “sought advice” on clearance approval for one of the properties investigated by the ABC, following a complaint it received from the NT Environment Centre.
“The Federal Ministry has not informed the Northern Territory Government of any additional or new investigations,” the spokesperson said.
calls for a broader investigation
This week, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called on the federal government to launch an urgent investigation into the allegations, citing “deep concern” about the Northern Territory government’s lack of response and the regulations currently in place.
“The NTG has so far failed to regulate, and is instead paving the way for a massive expansion of the cotton industry in this fragile ecosystem,” she said in a letter sent to Ms. Plebersk.
These calls were supported by Independent Senator David Pocock.
But the green groups are now raising questions about the breadth of the investigation and why action was not taken sooner.
NT Environment Center director Kirsty Howey said that while she welcomed the investigation, the slow response was disappointing.
She said that multiple attempts to alert the government to clearance without a permit at three cotton stations were ignored.
“Minister Libersk’s investigation should be broader in scope. [The ABC’s] 7.30 revealed a complete failure to regulate by the Northern Territory Government which raises serious questions about its ability to regulate and its relationship to the cotton industry.”
Ms Howey said the cleared land is the likely habitat of the threatened Gouldian harrier, ghost bat, partridge dove, and five other threatened species listed by the EPBC.
“It is certainly a matter under federal scrutiny given the Albanian government’s commitment to halting the extinction crisis gripping Australia,” she said.
The study concluded that there was no economic benefit from NT cotton
Since the lifting of the ban on cotton in the Northern Territory in 2018, supporters of the industry and the Northern Territory government have repeatedly claimed that cotton will be good for the economy and create jobs.
In 2020, a study commissioned by the Northern Territory Growers Association and funded by the Northern Territory government found that the cotton industry in the Northern Territory has the potential to contribute $200 million to the Northern Territory’s economy, and creates 91 direct and indirect jobs across the territory.
But the Australia Institute says its new study shows those assertions don’t add up.
Research director Rod Campbell said census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show cotton farming employs just 1,121 people nationwide.
And does not pay a lot of taxes.
“Secretary Manison said she left and I quote, ‘scratching her head’ about opposing agricultural developments such as cotton in the Northern Territory, urging people to look for the benefits,” Campbell said.
“That’s exactly what we did here, we looked for the benefits.”
“What are the potential employment opportunities? Very low. What are the potential tax payments and revenue impacts on the NTG? Close to zero or negative.
“If the Northern Territory government insists on supporting the cotton industry by giving up water and perhaps infrastructure funding, I would call it bad economic policy and bad environmental policy.”
The cotton industry was already generating economic activity and “a lot of additional employment”, said Michael Murray, managing director of Cotton Australia, casting doubt on what he described as “selective” census data.
He said, “If people want to see the impact of industry, go to towns like Moree or Gondiwinde or St George’s… when cotton is being produced. You’ll feel the hype about the place.”
ABC reached out to both NT Growers Association CEO Paul Burke and Bruce Connolly, president of the Northern Cotton Growers Association, but both declined comment.
Campbell said that while it’s hard to predict exactly what might happen in the NT, he pointed to the Ord scheme in Western Australia, where millions have been spent on expansion by both the federal and state governments.
“The Washington State Auditor General found that this created about 60 jobs. We’re talking millions of dollars per job,” he said.
“I am certainly not against growing cotton in Australia…but that is a slightly different situation.
“If the Northern Territory is looking to create agricultural jobs, they should look to any other agricultural sector.”