Environment group wins challenge against Australia's Port Melville depot

AusGroup

22/10/2016 10:30

By Harry Pearl 
    SYDNEY, Oct 22 (Reuters) - An Australia court overturned on 
Saturday government approval of a A$130 million fuel depot and 
port at Port Melville, off the country's north coast, handing a 
major victory to environmental activists. 
    The facility, being developed by a unit of Singapore-based 
AusGroup  AUSG.SI , includes a 30-million-litre oil depot on 
Melville Island, one of the Tiwi Islands, 120 km (75 miles) 
north of Darwin, the capital of Northern Territory. 
    Justice Richard White ruled in favour of the Environment 
Centre Northern Territory, a non-profit group that challenged a 
decision by former environment minister Greg Hunt to approve the 
project without an environmental impact statement, the court 
said. 
    "The right outcome has prevailed here. This development in 
my opinion should never have been built without an environmental 
assessment, much less allowed to operate," said lawyer David 
Morris, who represented Environment Centre Northern Territory. 
    The matter has been referred to environment minister Josh 
Frydenberg, who will decide if a full environmental impact 
assessment is necessary. 
    The minister and the Federal Department of the Environment 
did not respond to emailed requests for comment. 
    Drew English, convener of the Environment Centre Northern 
Territory, welcomed the ruling. 
    "This type of large scale development is exactly why we have 
environmental assessment processes, particularly when you 
consider the location of this supply base," English said in a 
statement. 
    The Tiwi Islands are part of a nationally recognised region 
of important bio-diversity and are home to dozens of species of 
birds, fish, mammals and reptiles. 
    The port received its first vessel late last year, 
facilitating the export of woodchips from the Tiwi Islands.  
    The fuel depot, which has been awaiting the court decision, 
has not gone into operation. 
    AusGroup was not immediately available for comment. 
 
 (Reporting by Harry Pearl; Editing by Robert Birsel) 
 ((Harry.Pearl@thomsonreuters.com; +61293218239;)) 
 
Keywords: AUSTRALIA DEPOT/