One of the most controversial projects planned for northern Australia, the massive Ord 3 irrigation scheme, will be subjected to rigorous environmental assessment following a community campaign. Environment groups are calling for an end to taxpayer subsidies for the cotton industry in Northern Australia, following $34 million in federal subsidies for the Kununurra cotton processing facility through the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund and a $9 million investment in roads connected to the Katherine cotton processing facility. A further $77 million of public funds has been spent on getting water out to private property to grow cotton by the Western Australian Government. The NT government and federal government has jointly invested over $58 million in upgrading the Keep River Plains Road to facilitate access to the development area.

A new conservation alliance has called for urgent action to phase out fossil fuel exports as today’s National Climate Risk Assessment shows that large areas of Australia’s north will become unlivable due to climate change. Four groups, which have formed the Northern Australia Conservation Alliance, say Australia’s first National Climate Risk assessment confirms that Northern Australia risks being turned into a fossil fuel and climate sacrifice zone. In a joint submission to the Senate Committee on the National Climate Risk Assessment, the groups say the global ecological and cultural treasure of northern Australia faces an existential threat from climate change within less than two generations.

The newly-formed Northern Australia Conservation Alliance (NACA) will appear before the Federal Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia in Darwin today, warning that the committee’s inquiry into “emerging industries” risks repeating the same failed development agenda that has left failed projects, wasted taxpayer money, spoiled landscapes and stranded assets across Northern Australia.