Green groups welcome NT Government scrutiny of Tiwi Island’s landclearing

The Wilderness Society Inc
Environment Centre of the Northern Territory
7th August 2008

The Wilderness Society (TWS) and the Environment Centre of the Northern Territory (ECNT) have welcomed today’s announcement by the Northern Territory Chief Minister, Paul Henderson, that any further land clearing on the Tiwi Islands will be subject to a full and public environmental assessment process.

Over the past several years, 30 000 hectares of forest on the Tiwi’s have been bulldozed for plantation establishment. It is proposed that a further 50 000 – 70 000 hectares be cleared as part of the second stage of the forestry project.

The Tiwi’s are located approximately 80 kilometres north of Darwin.

The clearing operations have been controversial and have generated considerable dispute within the Tiwi’s community.

Lyndon Schneiders, Northern Australia Campaign Manager for TWS said, “We welcome Mr Henderson’s announcement as a sensible and practical measure to ensure that the environmental, economic and social dimensions of any further clearing on the Tiwi’s are fully understood and debated and that alternative options for development on the Island are fully explored. This new process stands in stark contrast to the shady and secretive approvals that were given to the project in past.”

Charles Roche, Coordinator of the ECNT said, “Land clearing is a major threat to the Territory’s environment, we are pleased that the Territory Government is acting to ensure adequate environmental assessment on the Tiwi Islands.”