I am very concerned about the proposal to build massive dams, clear 1 million hectares of bush, and plant industrial-scale crops like cotton for the Roper River.

We’ve seen the disastrous impacts of irrigated cotton on the Murray-Darling River. It would be foolish to repeat them on the Roper.

The Territory's great rivers are the lifeblood of our coasts and seas. The Roper flows into Limmen Bight Marine Park sustaining the ecosystem, which includes extensive seagrass beds, home to turtle and dugong populations and habitat for prawns, barramundi and mudcrab. 

Without adequate protections in place, destructive proposals threaten the health of the Roper River and Limmen Bight Marine Park. Healthy rivers and coasts are central to our Top End way of life, the great NT fishing experience and our economy. They are critical to our shared future. 

This is the latest in a list of growing threats to our Top End coasts and fishing lifestyle. It’s time to deliver the protection our NT rivers and coasts so desperately need. 

I ask that you do all that you can to protect the Roper river from large-scale irrigation and implement the Plan to safeguard our coasts - the NT Coastal and Marine Management Strategy. This must start with delivering on the election commitment for two regional plans using marine spatial planning in this term of government. This will help recover our Top End economy and safeguard our fishing, culture and lifestyle.

Yours sincerely,
(Your name and suburb will be added here)