Defence Housing Australia’s destruction of Lee Point/Binybara is a national disgrace. It is time for taxpayer-funded Defence Housing Australia to be held accountable and for the Labor Government to listen to the experts and Save Lee Point.
As reported by the ABC’s 7:30 on 30 July, Defence Housing Australia (DHA) allegedly breached the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) when they cleared a portion of land at Lee Point on 6 May 2024 without all approvals in place.
Larrakia leaders, ecological experts, environmental organisations, community organisations and community leaders are now calling for DHA to be prosecuted and for their approval to be revoked under the EPBC Act. It is time for both the NT and Federal Governments to listen to the experts and save Lee Point.
Press conference:
What: Press conference
Where: Outside the front of Parliament House, Darwin
When: Midday, Wednesday, 31 July 2024
Who:
-
- Kirsty Howey - Executive Director of the Environment Centre NT
- Mililma May - Danggalaba Kulumbirigin woman and candidate for the seat of Nightcliff.
- Dr Emma Fitzsimons - Lee Point Defender
- Ian Redmond - Friends of Lee Point
DHA’s controversial development at Lee Point/Binybara is a large-scale, for-profit housing development propped up by Federal funding.
The 7.30 allegations follow the pausing of works on 7 May by DHA pending an investigation into alleged breaches of the NT Planning Act.
This is the third time the project had come to a standstill: DHA stopped works at the site for close to 12 while Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek assessed the impact of the development on a population of Gouldian Finches under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act). Then, in August 2023, the works were again paused for eight months following an application by Larrakia elder Tibby Quall under federal cultural heritage laws. Works were paused again in May 2024, following allegations of alleged unlawful clearing under the NT Planning Act.
The environmental destruction at Lee Point has earned the condemnation from people across Australia and the globe, from esteemed ecologists to Jane Goodall. The campaign has exposed the devastating price of Australia’s broken environmental laws and highlights Federal Labor’s inaction on progressing long-awaited reforms to the EPBC Act.
Lee Point/Binybara is an area of cultural and natural significance that has survived colonisation, is home to old growth habitat and more than 270 bird species, nearly one third of all of Australia’s bird species.
DHA have consistently defended their unpopular project by claiming that they have all the necessary approvals.
The continued disruption to DHA’s housing project at Lee Point can largely be attributed to the incredible mobilisation of Larrakia leaders, ecological experts, environmentalists, and locals who formed the Save Lee Point group and who have been campaigning to protect the area for years. This momentous display of grass roots action reflects what has been proven to be true by past environmental movements – it takes people to protect nature.
Quotes:
Mililma May:
“Culture means our way of life. Our country holds our culture and is our culture. The destruction of culture and country is reprehensible. As a courageous people and a courageous community we will protect Binybara and all her surrounding country.”
Dr Kirsty Howey:
“This should be the final straw for this appalling development. While our environment laws are clearly and profoundly broken, the weak laws that do exist must be enforced. It's crucial that Minister Plibersek takes the strongest enforcement action for any alleged wrongdoing by Defence Housing Australia in this most precious of places, including revoking their existing approval. It’s well past time for politicians to save Lee Point.”
Professor John Woinarski:
"Our environmental laws should protect threatened species and help to recover them. They are not doing that. They are too weak. They are Nature Negative. Lee Point shows that even when they aim to impose some constraints on development, project proponents try to get around them. The system is broken. We should not accept such failings."
Professor Euan Ritchie:
"Australia is suffering a biodiversity extinction crisis. It’s absolutely vital that we have strong environmental laws that conserve threatened species and their homes, and in the case of Lee Point, areas that are also culturally significant for Indigenous peoples. On Larrakia Country, and across Australia, we must ensure environmental laws are enforced and that all development is planned and conducted in a thoughtful, sustainable way "
Dr Amanda Lilleyman:
"The beaches within 2km of the DHA development are internationally significant and the developer has shown us that they cannot follow rules set in place for clearing the land.How can the community trust that DHA will protect shorebirds and follow conditions set out to ensure shorebird populations are not further impacted."
Dr Emma Fitzsimons:
“19 members of the community were arrested for peacefully protesting the destruction of Lee Point. Over the last two years, 33 arrests have been made. Lee Point defenders have been prosecuted and held accountable for our actions. We expect that DHA are proportionately held accountable for their alleged unlawful actions.“
Ian Redmond:
“Friends of Lee Point have received numerous responses from government; the vast majority stating that Defence Housing Australia (DHA) had gained all required development approvals for Lee Point. It is incumbent on government to avoid an environmental offset where possible and to optimise long term public benefits on projects (underwritten by the taxpayer), and this includes considering other sites.”
Nicholas Kirlew
“Since 2016, PLan have been incredibly disappointed in the lack of consultation from DHA. Since then, both NT and Federal Agencies have adopted ‘DHA can do no wrong’ as a mantra. The community is rightly justified in calling on electoral candidates to show their hands on this matter.”
Media contact: Jesse Black on 0488 147 399 or Louise Woodward on 0405 531 576
