4 September 2025
In 2022, Crowley Australia began construction on 11 tanks for the storage of fuel.
It was under the former Labor Government that the fuel tanks were allowed to be built without a building permit - a reckless failure of oversight that put our community's confidence in the process at risk.
As Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment, I ordered this matter be properly investigated to make sure Territorians could have confidence that the tanks would not cause irreparable damage to our environment.
Since then, Crowley Australia has returned a signed compliance statement from an independent structural engineer stating that the facility meets the National Construction Code and relevant Australian Standards.
NT Fire and Rescue Service has reviewed the engineering reports submitted by Crowley's fire safety engineer and is satisfied that all national construction codes are met.
Today, I made a declaration under the Building Act that occupancy certification is not required for the fuel facility. The current legislation does not allow for a Building Permit to be issued retrospectively.
This decision follows the review of reports provided by Crowley's independent structural engineer and an assessment by the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority.
Crowley Australia has obtained full environmental approval and demonstrated that the bunds surrounding the tanks have the capacity to contain all of the fuel in the tanks. The independent structural engineer has confirmed that the tanks are constructed to withstand winds equivalent to a Category 4 cyclone under the Bureau of Meteorology's cyclone categories.
The project represents an important investment in the Northern Territory and will form a critical asset within the Northern Australia Defence Hub, supporting future economic growth and strategic capability.
