PAPER TABLED CLERK: r r I--U.11 111 111 I" iliMfSI I I I ). II II LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY SESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT INTO MATTERS RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND MULTIPLE USE OF WETLANDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MARY RIVER SYSTEM r — — — 1 ORIGINAL PAPER APRIL 1995 FOREWORD The successful achievement of multiple land use in the Mary River will not be easy. It will depend largely on the ability of all stakeholders concerned with the use and management of this area to find compromise on many of the problems and issues affecting the Mary River and its wetlands. This inquiry was most interesting and challenging and generated a wealth of information from a wide cross section of the community with an interest in this area. This knowledge collated in this report and that provided by participants to the inquiry will be of immense value to the management of wetlands and in particular those associated with the Mary River. On behalf of the Committee comprising Mr Peter Adamson MLA (Member for Casuarina), Mr John Bailey MLA (Member for Wanguri), Mr Wes Lanhupuy MLA (Member for Arnhem) and Mr Phil Mitchell MLA (Member for Millner), I would like to formally express my thanks and appreciation to all those people who assisted the Committee in preparing this report. I am particularly grateful for the efforts provided by Mr Rodney Applegate, specialist wetlands consultant to the Committee. He worked extremely hard in analysing the information, providing professional advice and guidance and in ensuring that the report was completed on schedule. Also special thanks to Mr Graham Gadd, secretary to the Committee and Ms Liz McFarlane for the administrative and coordination assistance provided. The Committee would like to express its appreciation to the Parliament for the opportunity to contribute to the resolution of problems and issues affecting the sustainable management of the Mary River wetlands for multiple use. Dr Richard Eim,MLA Chairman 2. Sessional Committee on the Environment TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. INTRODUCTION 6 l . l T er m s o f R efer en c e 6 1.2 Pr o c ed u r e a d o pt e d b y th e C o m m ittee 7 1.2.1 MULTIPLE USE 7 1.3 THE WETLAND WORKSHOP 8 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 10 2.1 INTEGRATED CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT 10 2.2 SALTWATER INTRUSION 10 2.3 WEEDS 11 2.4 IMPROVED PASTURES 12 2.5 La n d C o m petit io n 13 2.6 Visit o r Im pa c t 13 2.7 Fe r a l A n im a l s 14 2.8 Bu sh fir e s 14 2.9 W il d l ife H a b it a t Pr o t e c tio n 15 2.10 W a t e r Q u a lity 15 3. BACKGROUND 16 3.1 G eomorphology 16 3.1.1 HOLOCENE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOWER MARY RIVER PLAINS 16 3.1.2 M o rphology 17 3.2 Significance O f Th e M a r y R iv e r W etlands 18 3.2.1 Flo r a Va lu es 18 3.2.2 Fa u n a Va lu es 19 3.2.3 Cu ltu r a l Va l u e s 20 3.3 DEVELOPMENTS 20 4. CURRENT SITUATION 21 4.1 G eomorphological Ch a n g es 21 4.1.1 R e c e n t Ch a n g e s T oT he Lo w er Ma r y R iver Plains 21 4.1.2 Fu t u r e Ex p a n sio n Of T idal Creek N etw ork 22 4.1.3 Po ssible Ca u se s 22 4.2 L ease A rrangements a n d La n d U ses 23 5. PROBLEMS. CONFLICTS AND SOLUTIONS 24 5.1 In te g r a t ed Ca t c h m en t M a n a g em en t 24 5.1.1 R ecommendations 26 5.2 Sa lt w a t er In tr u sio n 26 5.2.1 Pr o blem s 27 3 Sessional Committee on the Environment 5.2.2 So lutio ns 29 5.2.3 Sta k eh o lder Suppo rt 30 5.2.4 R ecommendations 31 5.3 WEEDS 32 5.3.1 S olutions 33 5.3.2 Stak eh o lder Suppo rt 34 5.3.3 R ecommendations 34 5.4 IMPROVED PASTURES 35 5.4. l Po n d e d Pa st u r e s 35 5.4.2 U pl a n d Pa st u r e 36 5.4.3 S olutions 37 5.4.4 Stak eh o lder Su ppo rt 38 5.4.5 R ecommendations 39 5.5 L a n d C o m pe t it io n 39 5.5.1 R ecommendations 40 5.6 Visit o r Im pa c t 41 5.6.1 STAKEHOLDER SUPPORT 42 5.6.2 R ecommendations 43 5.7 Fer a l A n im a l s 43 5.7.1 S olutions 44 5.7.2 Sta k eh o lder Su ppo rt 44 5.7.3 R ecommendations 44 5.8 Bu sh fir e s 45 5.8.1 Sta k eh o lder Suppo rt 45 5.8.2 R ecommendations 46 5.9 W il d l ife H a b it a t Pr o te c tio n 46 5.9.1 Gr a zin g In t e n sit y 46 5.9.2 D evelopments in th e catch m ent 47 5.9.3 Sta k eh o lder Suppo rt 48 5.9.4 R ecommendations 48 5.10 W a t e r Qu a lity 49 5.10.1 RECOMMENDATIONS 50 6. CONCLUSION 51 7. GLOSSARY 53 8. REFERENCES 54 A Sessional Committee on the Environment APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 WITNESSES INTERVIEWED_____________________________________________ 55 APPENDIX 2 WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED______________________________________ 58 FIGURE 1 LOWER MARY RIVER CATCHMENT SALTWATER INTRUSION_______________59 FIGURE 2 LOWER MARY RIVER LAND TENURE_______________________________________ 60 1 Sessional Committee on the Environment 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Terms of Reference The Sessional Committee on the Environment has been charged to - “inquire into and from time to time report upon and make recommendations on: (a) all matters relating to uranium mining and processing activities and their effects on the environment within the Alligator Rivers region; and (b) any matter relating to mining and/or the environment within the Northern Territory which is referred to it by - (i) the relevant Minister; or (ii) resolution of the Legislative Assembly. On Thursday 24 November 1994 the Legislative Assembly passed a resolution in accordance with paragraph (b) (ii) above, for the Committee to investigate: matters relating to environmental protection and multiple use of wetlands associated with the Maty River system, including measures to rehabilitate and restore wetlands degraded by usage and natural occurrence; Committee to report not later than 30 April 1995. The Committee has also been authorised during the course of its investigations - “(a) to send for persons, papers and records, to sit in public or in private session notwithstanding any adjournment of the Assembly, to adjourn from place to place and have leave to report from time to time its proceedings and the evidence taken and make such interim recommendations as it may deem fit, and to publish information pertaining to its activities from time to time; (b) to publish from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by it, and, unless otherwise ordered by the Committee, a daily Hansard to be published of such proceedings as take place in public; and (c) to consider the Minutes of Proceedings, evidence taken and records of similar Committees appointed in previous Assemblies.”. A Sessional Committee on the Environment 1.2 Procedure adopted by the Committee This is the first reference on environmental matters received by the Committee in pursuance of part (b) of its terms of reference. It was a challenge readily accepted by all members of the Committee. The Sessional Committee comprising Dr Richard Lim (Chairman), Peter Adamson, John Bailey, Wes Lanhupuy and Phil Mitchell carried out inspections of the Mary River wetlands both before and during the wet season. These visits gave members first hand exposure to the most serious problems of both saltwater intrusion and Mimosa infestation. The Committee was able to appreciate the magnitude of the areas affected or likely to be damaged if these problems are not dealt with successfully. Members of the Sessional Committee attended the Wetland Workshop hosted by the Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory in December 1994 and heard first hand from the key stakeholders regarding their concerns and listened to detailed discussion of a range of possible solutions and their implications. The Sessional Committee called by advertisement in local and interstate newspapers for public submissions regarding multiple use of wetlands associated with the Mary River system in December 1994. The Committee also wrote to over 60 organisations and interest groups seeking their input to the inquiry. By the closing date of submissions on the 14 February 1995, eighteen submissions had been received. Public hearings were held on 14-15 February 1995 and eleven organisations or individuals made oral presentations to the Committee and answered questions from the Committee. All submissions both oral and written were carefully considered in the Committee’s deliberations and the conclusions and recommendations presented in this report.