By PLan: the Planning Action Network Inc. | March 27, 2026
The future of Darwin’s last major wildlife corridor is at a breaking point. Despite overwhelming community opposition and significant cultural concerns from Larrakia Traditional Owners, Defence Housing Australia (DHA) is preparing to restart clearing works at Lee Point in April 2026.
PLan is calling on all Australians to support our formal petition to the Australian Senate. We are demanding an immediate pause on all works and the establishment of a Senate Committee inquiry to investigate this deeply flawed $400M project.
The Mandate for Change
The community’s voice has never been clearer. In the March 2026 Nightcliff By-election, candidates who supported a moratorium on Lee Point works and a new Area Plan received 80% of the first-preference votes. The people of Darwin have spoken: we do not want an urban sprawl that destroys our natural heritage.
Why an Inquiry is Vital
Our petition highlights three critical failures in the current DHA project:
- Flawed Planning: The Lee Point Area Plan was driven by DHA and its consultants rather than the NT Planning Commission. This created a clear conflict of interest, resulting in a plan that lacks transparency and ignored more sustainable housing alternatives.
- Environmental & Cultural Destruction: The project threatens endangered species, including the Gouldian Finch and Black-footed Tree-rat, while ignoring the strong opposition of Larrakia people who have cared for this land for millennia.
- Poor Accountability: Taxpayers are underwriting a $400M project that produces high-cost lots with zero committed affordable housing, all while better-suited sites closer to defence bases—like Holtze and Berrimah—remain underutilised.
“There is no government report available to justify housing at Lee Point over other sites. The only available data comes from community-led research, which proves Lee Point is the worst option for social, environmental, and economic outcomes.” — Nick Kirlew, PLan Convener
How You Can Help
We need to present this petition to the Senate to force a federal review before the bulldozers return.
- Sign the Petition: Link to Petition
- Share the Call: Forward this article to your networks.
- Contact Your Senators: Let our NT Senators know that you support a formal inquiry.
The time to save Lee Point is now. Once the old-growth forest is gone, it is gone forever.