Freedom of Information documents show the controversial Port Melville on the Tiwi Islands was approved by the Federal Government despite internal advice it was likely to have adverse impacts on a number of our threatened species, including shorebirds, dugongs and olive ridley turtles.
It was also approved with no written procedures on how to shutdown supply from 30 million litre diesel tanks or deal with major spills if needed.
The Port was built to withstand a category two cyclone, yet Elcho Island further east along the NT coastline suffered from a category four cyclone in 2015 and the old Port Melville was destroyed by a cyclone in 2007.
Read the full article by the ABC here or by The Australian here.