News

This page has the latest news on the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory.

27 March 2018: The Independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory (Inquiry) presented its Final Report (Final Report) to the Northern Territory Government today. Read the full update.

14 February 2018: The Independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory (the Inquiry) is this week concluding its final round of regional community consultations on its draft Final Report. Read the full update.

5 February 2018: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Shale Gas Reservoirs in the Northern Territory (Inquiry) has commenced a two-day hearing in Darwin today, the first of its final round of public live-streamed hearings. Read the full update.

30 January 2018: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of onshore shale gas reservoirs in the Northern Territory (Inquiry) begins its final round of hearings and community forums across the Northern Territory today. Read the full update.

19 January 2018: The Independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory (Inquiry) today released a draft Social Impact Assessment Framework (Framework) produced by Coffey Services Australia Pty Ltd (Coffey). Read the full update.

12 December 2017: The Independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory (Inquiry) released its draft Final Report today. Read the full update.

7 November 2017: Inquiry confirms Indigenous Agreement Solutions (IAS) has been appointed by Coffey to undertake further engagement in communities within the Beetaloo Sub-basin and surrounding areas. This will delay the draft Final Report and Final Report. Read the full update.

27 October 2017:  The Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory (Inquiry) has released ACIL Allen Consulting Pty Ltd’s (ACIL Allen) independent economic impact assessment of a potential onshore unconventional shale gas industry in the Northern Territory (NT), The Economic Impacts of a Potential Shale Gas Development in the Northern Territory (report). Read the full update.

16 October 2017: The Hon Justice Rachel Pepper, refutes claims made in today’s ABC Radio National coverage to the effect that the Inquiry supported calls for an investigation into former Chief Minister Adam Giles’ subsequent employment by Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd (Hancock). Read the full update.

07 October 2017: The Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory (Inquiry) would like to express its profound dismay and concern at the comments allegedly made by Cross Cultural Consulting (CCC) as aired in a story by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) today. Read the full update.

06 October 2017: The closing date for submissions in response to the independent Scientific Inquiry’s Interim Report will be 9 October 2017. Read the full update.

21 August 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory (the Inquiry) commences two weeks of community forums in regional and remote communities across the Territory tomorrow. Read the full update

16 August 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory (the Inquiry) will hold community forums in regional and remote communities starting next week. Read the full update

4 August 2017: Inquiry Chair Justice Rachel Pepper advises that the community consultation scheduled for next week in Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, Humpty Doo and Darwin is not the "final phase of community consultation" for the Inquiry. Read the full update

2 August 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory (the Inquiry) will hold community forums in Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, Humpty Doo and Darwin next week. Read the full update

31 July 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory (the Inquiry) commenced two weeks of public hearings today. Read the full update

27 July 2017: The second round of public hearings for the independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory commence next week. Read the full update

14 July 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory released its Interim Report today. The Interim Report is available to view online. Read full update

5 July 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory has opened registrations for its next round of public hearings in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek, which will take place between 31 July to 10 August 2017. Read full update

28 June 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory has today awarded a social impact assessment tender to a Territory based company and confirmed the dates and locations for its next round of public hearings. Read full update

24 May 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Onshore Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory has awarded ACIL Allen Consulting Pty Ltd (ACIL Allen) the tender to undertake an economic impact assessment of the potential onshore unconventional shale gas industry in the Northern Territory. Read full update

5 May 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of Unconventional Reservoirs in the Northern Territory has released a public tender to assist the Inquiry panel in understanding the social impacts of potential onshore unconventional gas development in the Northern Territory. Read full update

3 May 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry in the Northern Territory has released a public tender for an independent social impact assessment of the potential onshore unconventional gas industry in the Northern Territory. The tender closes 17 May 2017 and can be viewed here.

27 April 2017: Submissions on the Background and Issues Paper released by the Independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory close on 30 April 2017. Read the full update.

27 March 2017:  The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory will this week conclude its first stage of community consultation. Read the full update.

20 March 2017: Due to inclement weather in Darwin and Maningrida preventing the scheduled flight departure this morning, coupled with unforeseen circumstances in the community and therefore out of respect, the Inquiry’s meeting in Maningrida today has been temporarily postponed. Read the full update .

11 March 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of onshore unconventional reservoirs in the Northern Territory completed the first stage of its hearings and community consultation sessions in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Darwin and Humpty Doo this week. Read the full update.

06 March 2017: The independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing of onshore unconventional reservoirs in the Northern Territory commences its hearings and community meetings schedule across the Territory. Read the full update.

21 February 2017: Inquiry Chair, Justice Rachel Pepper announced the release of an Issues Paper.  Justice Pepper also announced the opening of registrations for the first stage of community consultation in March 2017T. Read the full media release. Download the Background Issues paper. PDF (2.0 MB)

20 February 2017: The Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory released a Background and Issues Paper today, ahead of its Territory wide community consultation program commencing in March 2017. Read the full media release.

13 February 2017: The Inquiry has confirmed the major centres and remote communities for its community consultation program in March 2017 following the second meeting of the Inquiry panel on 8 – 9 February 2017. Read the full update.

06 February 2017: The Inquiry recently travelled to South Australia to conduct a two day field trip to the Cooper Basin in South Australia, as part of its information gathering and scientific assessment of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) activities. Read the full update.

20 December 2016: The independent scientific inquiry panel met for its inaugural meeting on 8 December 2016. A community update was released, which acknowledged the importance of community engagement and provides details about the community consultation program including release of an issues paper prior to public hearings in March 2017. Read the full update.

3 December 2016: The appointment of the panel and judicial chair to conduct the inquiry and the terms of reference was announced by the Northern Territory Government.