A historic decision has just been handed down in the High Court to quash the granting of the groundwater licence to Fortune Agribusiness at Singleton Station, 350km north of Mparntwe Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. The controversial project was one of Australia’s largest groundwater licences, with the void licence issuing up to 40 billion litres of groundwater. 

Fortune Agribusiness now does not have a valid groundwater licence. ALEC understands the Northern Territory Water Minister Joshua Burgoyne, will make a decision regarding the future of the Singleton groundwater licence.

Alex Vaughan, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, Arid Lands Environment Centre

“This is a historic decision and let it be the end of it. Stop Singleton once and for all.” 

“The groundwater licence at Singleton Station should not be re-issued. This is a deeply unpopular and toxic project and it will be resisted until the very end. We will not stop.”

“Minister Burgoyne, stop the groundwater giveaway to Fortune Agribusiness that will not benefit Territorians, will not generate royalties, will rely on FIFO labour and is receiving free water!

“As cost of living pressures continue to hurt Territorians, why does a corporation receive up to a trillion of litres of groundwater for free, a massive NT Government subsidy”

Maureen Nampijinpa O’Keefe, Kaytetye Warlpiri woman, born and raised in Ali Curung

“It makes me feel happy to hear good news after so many years. I can breathe again after nearly 6 years of saying no.

“It is the one thing they cannot take away from us, it is the most precious thing, that life giving water. It is about our human rights too”

“We are the decision-makers for our land, we need to tell them what we want to do, we are the decision-makers. 

“This project will never benefit the community. This project was never about Ali Curung. This project is just full of broken promises”

“Thank you to all the supporters who have supported our fight for water justice”