The Territory's coastal and marine environments will now be better protected following the passing of the Marine Pollution Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 in Parliament last week.
The Act ensures the Northern Territory has an environmental regulatory system to appropriately protect marine environments, jobs and industries from ship-sourced pollution being discharged into coastal waters in the NT.
The Act provides the legislative framework to prosecute ships suspected of causing marine pollution offences and swiftly address ships that are polluting the environment, putting the Territory's marine ecosystems at risk.
The amendment limits the ability of suspected polluters from avoiding prosecution.
These changes complement national and international marine pollution laws, and relevant provisions of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).
