rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/petition/urgent-review-of-the-dha-lee-point-housing-project?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-petition-area-urgent-review-of-the-dha-lee-point-housing-project' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> PLan: the Planning Action Network Inc https://actionnetwork.org/groups/plan-the-planning-action-network-inc https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/groups/default_facebook_images/000/172/816/original/Lee_Point-North-1mb.jpg?1619250903 Explanatory information This petition asks Senate to: establish a Senate committee to conduct an inquiry into the DHA Lee Point housing project in Darwin, and request the federal Minister for Defence Personnel and Veteran Affairs, Matt Keogh MP, instruct DHA to pause clearing works at Lee Point until the inquiry is complete. The taxpayer is underwriting a ($400M) defence and community housing project at Lee Point, Darwin. To date, this project has produced high-cost lots, no affordable housing and is harming Darwin’s natural and cultural heritage. The project destroys a vital part of Darwin’s last wildlife corridor and threatens endangered species. The federal government thru Defence Housing Australia (DHA), is undertaking the Lee Point housing project and intend to restart clearing work in April 2026. Problems with this project include: LACK OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT - Most Darwin residents are opposed to housing thousands of people at Lee Point. Larrakia people (traditional owners of Darwin) are strongly opposed to the project for cultural reasons. In the March 2026 Nightcliff By-election (in Darwin), 80% of the first preference votes went to candidates that supported a new Area Plan for Lee Point and a moratorium on works at Lee Point until this happens. FLAWED PLANNING PROCESS - DHA (using a consultant) should not have created the Lee Point Area Plan in 2014/15. The primary responsibility for land use planning rests with the Territory Government not the Australian Government. DHA as a developer had a clear conflict of interest in creating the Lee Point Area Plan. The consultation was inadequate. Less than 15% of Darwin northern suburb residents were aware that thousands of people were going to be housed at Lee Point prior to 2020. POOR ACCOUNTABILITY - No government report is available to justify having defence housing located at Lee Point compared to other Darwin sites. The only report available (for other sites) is a draft report by (8) Darwin based community groups. This report found the Lee Point site rated poorly on all aspects; social, environmental, economic, and governance, compared to two alternative housing sites located much closer to the main defence base. The project has highest minimum lot cost of all the other sites and poor access to frequent public transport. The project has not considered avoidance measures ie. other sites to avoid environmental offsets. This conflicts with the policy of the old EPBC Act and does not comply with the new EPBC Act. Relocating and rescoping the Lee Point defence housing project has further information. https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/d27c7239a65eface5e1c9e53fb7d7aada407b7ab