'Safe air' bill passes NT parliament, but critics say monitoring scheme lacks vital detail

New legislation follows benzene and methane scandals involving Inpex and Santos

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Sources2 outlets

The Northern Territory parliament on Thursday passed the Country Liberal Party government's 'safe air' bill, establishing a scheme to monitor and publicly report toxic volatile organic compound emissions from gas industry operations on Darwin Harbour. Minister Joshua Burgoyne said the scheme, funded by industry, will be in place by mid-2027 with six new monitoring stations, but critics including independent MLA Justine Davis and the opposition say the bill leaves critical details to regulations, bypassing public consultation and failing to set pollution limits.

The safe air bill passed the Northern Territory parliament on Thursday 23 October, introduced by the CLP government in response to toxic emissions scandals. Inpex is being prosecuted by the NT Environment Protection Authority after under-reporting benzene emissions by 13,000 per cent and toluene emissions by 11,000 per cent, while a decades-long methane leak and cover-up at the Darwin LNG facility involving ConocoPhillips and Santos was exposed.

NT Lands, Planning and Environment Minister Joshua Burgoyne said existing air quality monitoring stations did not measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, but the new scheme would. "This will give Territorians certainty that the air they breathe is safe," he said. "We want them to know that as we industrialise the harbour, and as we continue to have companies that come to the Northern Territory, that we can continue to develop, and that it's safe to do so."

Mr Burgoyne said the scheme, overseen by the environment department and the NT EPA, would be in place by the middle of next year, with six new monitoring stations around Darwin Harbour. The cost will be covered by industry; the bill allows "specified persons or classes of persons" to be required to "make contributions towards all or part of the costs". The minister said Territorians will not pay.

However, independent MLA Justine Davis criticised the bill for containing no definition of safe air, no clarity on what toxins will be measured, where monitoring will take place, or consequences for non-compliance. "It beggars belief that a bill with 'safe air' in the title contains no definition of safe air," she said. Ms Davis also noted that consultation has so far only been with industry, not with health experts, independent environmental experts, or the public.

Shadow Environment Minister Manuel Brown said the bill was an opportunity for "stronger protections" such as pollution limits, "but instead it's left the most important details out of the bill".

The regulations that will define the scheme's details will be set by the department, a process critics argue lacks transparency.

Analysis

Why This Matters

Darwin residents have been exposed to under-reported cancer-linked emissions; this scheme could provide transparency and accountability.
The bill sets a precedent for how the NT balances industrial expansion with public health and environmental safety.
Without details in primary legislation, the effectiveness depends on future regulations, which could be influenced by industry.

Background

Darwin Harbour hosts major gas processing plants operated by Inpex, Santos, and ConocoPhillips (now Santos). In 2025, Inpex was found to have under-reported benzene and toluene emissions dramatically. A long-running methane leak at Darwin LNG was also exposed. The CLP government's safe air bill is a direct response, but critics argue it does not go far enough in enshrining protections in law.

Key Perspectives

[Government/Minister Joshua Burgoyne]: The scheme shows commitment to transparency and safe air, funded by industry, with monitoring in place by mid-2027. Regulations will be developed and the NT EPA and department will oversee. [Independent MLA Justine Davis]: The bill lacks definitions, specific toxin measurements, and enforcement details. Consultation has excluded health experts and the public, focusing only on industry. [Shadow Environment Minister Manuel Brown]: The government missed the chance to embed pollution limits and specific protections in the bill, leaving crucial aspects to future regulations.

What to Watch

The draft regulations and whether they include clear definitions and specific toxins.
The government's consultation process: will it include health experts, environmental groups, and the public?
The first monitoring data publication, expected after mid-2027, and any subsequent compliance issues.
The outcome of Inpex's prosecution and any related policy changes.

Sources

'Safe air' bill passes NT parliament following Inpex, Santos scandals · Latest business news
'Safe air' bill passes NT parliament following Inpex, Santos scandals · Just In

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 7 supported.

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Supported'Safe air' bill passed the NT parliament, while critics say the monitoring scheme lacks vital detail.Latest business news: “'Safe air' bill passes NT parliament following Inpex, Santos scandals. Toxic air pollutants emitted by the gas industry on Darwin Harbour are set to be monitored and publicly reported after new laws passed Northern Territory parliament on Thursday.”
SupportedThe legislation follows emissions scandals involving Inpex and Santos.Latest business news: “The Country Liberal Party (CLP) government's "safe air" bill allows an environmental monitoring scheme to be established, following a toxic emissions scandal involving Inpex and a decades-long methane leak and cover up by ConocoPhillips and Santos at the Darwin LNG facility.”
Partly supportedThe bill establishes a scheme to monitor and publicly report toxic VOC emissions from gas operations on Darwin Harbour.Latest business news: “Toxic air pollutants emitted by the gas industry on Darwin Harbour are set to be monitored and publicly reported after new laws passed Northern Territory parliament on Thursday.”
Partly supportedBurgoyne said, “This will give Territorians certainty that the air they breathe is safe.”Latest business news: “"The will give Territorians certainty that the air they breathe is safe," he said.”
Partly supportedThe scheme will be funded by industry.Latest business news: “Mr Burgoyne said the scheme would be paid for by industry and "Territorians will not be paying", although the bill only states "specified persons or classes of persons" may be required to "make contributions towards all or part of the costs".”
Partly supportedThe scheme will be in place by mid-2027.Latest business news: “Under the scheme, which Mr Burgoyne said would be "in place" by "the middle of next year", six new monitoring stations around Darwin Harbour would measure for volatile organic compounds.”
SupportedThe scheme will have six new monitoring stations around Darwin Harbour.Latest business news: “Under the scheme, which Mr Burgoyne said would be "in place" by "the middle of next year", six new monitoring stations around Darwin Harbour would measure for volatile organic compounds.”
Partly supportedThe bill passed on Thursday 23 October.Latest business news: “The bill passed NT parliament on Thursday.”
SupportedInpex is being prosecuted after under-reporting benzene emissions by 13,000 per cent and toluene emissions by 11,000 per cent.Latest business news: “Inpex is being prosecuted by the NT Environment Protection Authority after under-reporting benzene emissions by 13,000 per cent and toluene emissions — which can irritate the eyes, skin and respiratory tract — by 11,000 per cent.”
SupportedA decades-long methane leak and cover-up at the Darwin LNG facility involved ConocoPhillips and Santos.Latest business news: “a decades-long methane leak and cover up by ConocoPhillips and Santos at the Darwin LNG facility.”
SupportedDavis said, “It beggars belief that a bill with 'safe air' in the title contains no definition of safe air.”Latest business news: “Independent Justine Davis said "it beggars belief that a bill with 'safe air' in the title contains no definition of safe air".”
SupportedDavis said consultation had so far been only with industry, not health experts, independent environmental experts or the public.Latest business news: “Ms Davis said the NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment revealed consultation about the scheme had so far only been undertaken with industry. "That is, the industry creating the pollution is who the government is listening to, and that there is no plan to consult with health experts, independent environment experts, or the public at all," she said.”