Draft email (for you to amend) to your MLA with (4) copies to the Ministers for Planning, Environment and Tourism plus Opposition leader. Your MLA email address can be found here.
To: Your MLA
c/c: minister.lawler@nt.gov.au
Subject: LEE POINT PLANNING CONCERNS
Dear (Your MLA)
I am writing to you to express my serious concerns about the NT Government’s plan for Lee Point that involves clearing a significant portion (approx. one sq km) of Lee Point.
The current plan to house thousands of people on the Lee Point peninsular will have a major negative impact on the natural beauty, wildlife, people’s enjoyment of this area and future tourist potential of one of Darwin’s most important natural assets, Lee Point. Other negative impacts include:
- Increased traffic congestion, car dependency and emissions (from increased car travel and loss of forests);
- Considerable loss of habitat (includes old growth forest) and wildlife; and
- Significant costs for the taxpayer from having housing away from the main existing infrastructure.
Most Darwin residents did not know about the land zoning at Lee Point in 2015 and much has changed since then. Climate change and loss of biodiversity are now major concerns. Recently Australia with the majority of UN countries, committed to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030 (Ref 1), and the City of Darwin is actively trying to conserve biodiversity corridors (Ref 2). In 2020, the NT Government committed to take action on climate change (Ref 3). The current plan for Lee Point does none of these things (it increases emissions) and is not supported by the City of Darwin.
I would ask in your capacity as the Minister for Planning, you place an immediate moratorium on the current housing development at Lee Point and engage the NT Planning Commission to complete a comprehensive Area Plan for the whole of Lee Point that reflects the long term wishes and needs of the community.
Regards
Your name
Email address and contact number
References
- Glasgow UN Conference 2021 – https://ukcop26.org/glasgow-leaders-declaration-on-forests-and-land-use/
- City of Darwin Greening Darwin Strategy July 2021 — https://www.darwin.nt.gov.au/council/governance-strategy/strategic-and-municipal-planning/a-cool-clean-and-green-city-strategies
- NT Climate Change Response July 2020 https://depws.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/904775/northern-territory-climate-change-response-towards-2050.pdfminister.lawler@nt.gov.auElectorate officeelectorate.drysdale@nt.gov.au