Northern Territory passes 'safe air' law to monitor toxic gas emissions

A 'safe air' bill cleared the Northern Territory legislature, authorising an environmental monitoring network around Darwin Harbour to record volatile organic compounds like the carcinogen benzene. While existing stations monitor general air quality, the new six sites will specifically target emissions that gas firms have historically reported themselves. Joshua Burgoyne, the NT Lands, Planning and Environment Minister, pledged that the system will be running by mid-next year and financed by the polluting companies, not taxpayers.

The move follows scandals involving Inpex’s under-reporting of benzene by 13,000 % and a long-standing methane leak at the Darwin LNG plant operated by ConocoPhillips and Santos. Independent MLA Justine Davis and opposition shadow environment minister Manuel Brown criticised the bill for omitting definitions of "safe air" and details on penalties, warning that regulatory rules could be set behind closed doors.