Protesters arrested as land clearing resumes at Defence housing development site at Lee Point

Protesters held “Save Lee Point” signs as land clearing resumed.  (ABC News: Lillian Rangiah)

Three protesters have been arrested as land clearing resumes at the site of a controversial housing development at Darwin’s Lee Point.

Environmentalists have long opposed the development on the northern outskirts of the Northern Territory capital, where threatened species including the Gouldian finch and black-footed tree rat have been sighted in recent years.

Commonwealth-owned Defence housing company, Defence Housing Australia (DHA) began clearing trees on the site last year.

Works paused in August after Environmental Justice Australia lawyers lodged an emergency application for cultural heritage protection of the site on behalf of a Larrakia traditional owner.

As several bulldozers returned to the site on Tuesday morning, a small crowd of protesters gathered at the Lee Point site, chanting “Save Lee Point”.

Several protesters had entered the site and refused to move as bulldozing began on Tuesday morning.

Footage shows a woman being taken into custody before 9am.

A white sheet obscured another man from view of cameras and the public while police and private security spoke to him.

Grusha Leeman said her husband was “locked on” at the site.

“I feel very threatened by the fact they’ve put a sheet up so I can’t see that they are OK,” she said.

In a statement, NT Police said two protesters – a man and a woman – had been arrested for trespass and would appear in the Darwin Local Court “at later dates”.

Last year, six people were fined for trespassing after a series of demonstrations.

Allegations ‘nature spotters’ not used

Larrakia elder Eric Fejo said he came down to the site as soon as he could and was dismayed to witness the country he views as his birthright be cleared.

“It’s disgusting, disgraceful and it’s the same pathetic history of this country’s denial of this country’s beautiful First Nations history,” he said.

Zac Terry, 29, said he was taken aback when a construction worker began sawing at a tree that he had climbed up in protest.

“I kind of thought he was just joking but then he started sawing at the tree for about five seconds,” he said.

“The police came and said ‘if you don’t get down, we’re going to call the firies and then it’s going to cost you to get down’.”

Protesters at the development told the ABC they believed DHA had not ensured a “nature spotter” was on site to check for impacts to native animals.

“I don’t know that there’s been anyone who’s gone in there to check for the animals in there,” Ms Leeman said.

“I know there’s animals in there. There’s holes, there’s burrows, there’s wallabies, there’s birds.”

Those concerns were echoed at a federal level by the Greens, who have called on federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to enact an “urgent moratorium” on the land clearing.

“The deforestation proposed at Lee Point is irresponsible,” Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said in a statement.

“Reports that land clearing destruction may be happening without the presence of nature spotters and that peaceful protesters are being put in harm’s way are concerning.”

In a statement, a spokesperson from the federal department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) said “the Lee Point development has been approved under national environment law”.

“There are no provisions for moratoriums on approved developments under national environment law,” the spokesperson said.

A Northern Land Council spokesperson said the council had urged the NT government to “develop a better way of engaging with Larrakia people in relation to developments that affect their country”.

When asked about the protest on ABC Radio Darwin on Tuesday morning, Chief Minister Eva Lawler pushed for those on both sides of the temporary fencing to remain calm.

“We need to be able to be respectful on both sides of the party,” she said.

“So, the workers that are there are doing their jobs, so protesters need to be respectful around that as well and vice versa,” she said.

In a statement, a spokesperson from NT WorkSafe said the authority had received several reports from people raising security concerns about machinery operations at the development site.

“The actions of certain individuals may be contributing to the health and safety risks or issues of non-compliance being reported,” the spokesperson said.

“NT WorkSafe reminds members of the public entering a worksite that they also have a duty under the work health and safety laws.”

DHA and Ms Plibersek’s office have been contacted for comment.