High Court sends contested Northern Territory water licence back for review

The High Court has overturned a water licence awarded to Singleton Station, a cattle property south of Tennant Creek, after a legal challenge by the Mpwerempwer Aboriginal Corporation, which represents four native title groups. The disputed licence allowed the lessee, Fortune Agribusiness, to draw 40,000 megalitres per year from an underground aquifer for a 30-year intensive horticulture project. The court sent the matter back to Northern Territory officials, requiring a fresh assessment that includes environmental approvals.

Plaintiffs argued the licence threatens sacred water sites and the ecosystems that depend on them. Traditional owner Valerie Ngapangardi Curtis emphasized that excessive water extraction would harm the land, its wildlife, and cultural narratives. The decision underscores the legal weight of native title rights in resource allocation decisions.