Petroleum, Planning and Water Legislation Amendment Bill passed
The Petroleum, Planning and Water Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 was passed in Parliament today, paving the way for certainty and investment in the Territory’s economy.
The changes would remove the ability for third parties to seek merits review of decisions made under the petroleum, planning and water acts.
The Bill will give business and industry the confidence to invest their time and money to develop in the Northern Territory.
The NT’s planning and environmental laws have been reformed over time to be strong and contemporary, with projects under the relevant acts subject to a range of regulatory processes, including public exhibition.
The public exhibition process allows stakeholders and interested parties to make submissions, with all submissions required to be considered by the decision maker.
The common law right to judicial review will remain and any third-party merits review processes already underway will continue.
