Minister Watt, Lee Point is in your hands

Join Larrakia leaders, environment and community groups as they call for new Environment Minister Murray Watt to revoke Defence Housing Australia’s (DHA) approval for its controversial housing development at Darwin’s Lee Point/Binyabara.

DHA has been fined nearly $19,000 for breaching its federal environmental approval at Lee Point as the result of an illegal bulldozing incident in May 2024, which was exposed by the ABC’s 7:30 Report. And while we welcome this acknowledgement of illegal activity, this fine is little more than a slap on the wrist for DHA and does nothing to protect Lee Point, a place of immense cultural and ecological significance.

Which is why we are writing to Minister Murray Watt, asking that he revoke DHA’s environmental approval and save Darwin’s last biodiversity corridor, beloved by Territorians and home to 270 bird species. Send your email below!

Traditional owners have been working for years to prevent this DHA project from going ahead at Lee Point, a site of great significance to them. They have been joined by a groundswell of local community members and experts who say Lee Point is of immense ecological significance.

As a result, this disastrous DHA project has already come to a standstill three times. DHA stopped works at the site for close to 12 months while Minister Plibersek assessed the impact of the development on a population of endangered 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 again paused in May 2024, following the illegal bulldozing incident.

Now, the proposed bulldozing of Lee Point, and the irrevocable damage that has already occurred, has been singled out by experts as a sign of our broken federal environment laws. Annica Schoo, Australian Conservation Foundation's lead investigator, says:

“This is one of Australia’s most controversial housing projects, yet it was able to breach the conditions of its environmental approval and destroy threatened species habitat at Lee Point."

That a DHA project could progress this far at a place with such high natural and cultural values is a clear signal that our national nature laws need urgent attention.

<p><span data-contrast="auto">Dear Federal Environment Minister Watt,</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">We urgently call on you to <strong>save Lee Point/Binybara</strong>, the last biodiversity corridor in Darwin and an area of immense cultural and ecological significance. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">This sacred patch of savanna woodland is under threat from a controversial Defence Housing Australia (DHA) project, which has come to a standstill three times. Most recently, in May 2024, </span><strong><span data-contrast="auto">works were paused following allegations of alleged unlawful bulldozing</span></strong><span data-contrast="auto">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">A recent notice advised that DHA has been issued with a fine by the federal environment department for the illegal land clearing at Lee Point. This fine is little more than a slap on the wrist for DHA and does nothing to protect Lee Point. <strong>Which is why</strong> </span><strong><span data-contrast="auto">we're calling on you to revoke environmental approval for this disastrous project</span></strong><span data-contrast="auto"> and prevent further destruction of cultural heritage and threatened species habitat at Lee Point.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335551671":0,"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="0" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Larrakia Danggalaba Traditional Owners describe Lee Point as a significant Aboriginal area where several Dreamings connect. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335551671":0,"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Lee Point is home to more than 270 bird species, and, in 2022, hundreds of endangered Gouldian Finches made the site their home, mobilising a powerful community campaign that gained national prominence.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335551671":0,"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Lee Point is home to black-footed tree rats, northern brushtail possums, and an internationally significant population of migratory shorebirds, all listed as threatened under federal environmental law.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335551671":0,"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Lee Point is beloved by the local community and a well-known tourist drawcard due to its natural beauty and rich biodiversity.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>
</ul>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The proposed bulldozing of Lee Point, and the irrevocable damage that has already occurred, has been singled out by experts as a sign of our broken federal environment laws. Australia desperately needs law reform to fix a system that is failing nature at Lee Point and across the country.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">It’s now up to you to preserve this ecologically and culturally significant site. </span><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Revoke DHA’s environmental approval for Lee Point</span></strong><span data-contrast="auto"> and overhaul our weak environment laws so that nature in Darwin and all over Australia can thrive.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Yours sincerely,</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>

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