The NT government is made to ensure safe drinking water in landmark ruling

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Northern Territory government has lost its appeal against a landmark court ruling which found it was legally responsible for ensuring safe drinking water for tenants of Territory public housing.

Transcript

00:00Running water that could be dangerous to drink.

00:05For years, that was the reality for residents in the remote community of Laramba, who first

00:10took the housing department to court in 2019, after finding traces of uranium in the community's

00:16drinking water three times above the Australian standard.

00:20After losing in the NT's civil court, the group successfully appealed the ruling in

00:25the Supreme Court, which the government challenged earlier this year.

00:29On Christmas Eve, the Supreme Court shot down that challenge, the government now liable

00:34for safe drinking water across the territory.

00:37Solicitor Dan Kelly says last year's construction of Laramba's water treatment plant was life-changing

00:42for the area, and hopes the decision will lead to water quality improvements throughout

00:47the territory.

00:48Although Laramba's problem was solved, there's many other communities that are still in the

00:53same situation as Laramba, have high levels of fluoride or aluminium or indeed uranium,

00:58with no government department taking any responsibility.

01:01The department didn't respond to a request for comment.

01:04The government is still able to file yet another appeal to the High Court before the civil

01:09tribunal returns to determine compensation in February.

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