Recommendations
1. Clean Water
Continue long-term water quality monitoring and adjust sampling locations for sediment metals to include more sites in Buffalo and Myrmidon Creeks. Investigate source of elevated metals identified at sites in East Arm. In accordance with work currently being conducted by NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, a key priority item for water quality in Darwin Harbour is the development of a Dredging Strategy and Plan.
2. Healthy Ecosystems and Landscapes
Implement water-sensitive urban design practices in Darwin CBD and Rapid Creek regions, where catchment condition was assessed as poor to very poor, to reduce impacts to water quality. Continue to refine mangrove area monitoring to improve confidence in results.
3. Biodiversity
Urgent need for systematic and ongoing biodiversity monitoring programs in the harbour and catchment. Opportunities were identified through this project to partner in the future with Indigenous rangers, biosecurity departments and volunteer groups to assist in collecting this information.
4. Indigenous Values
Work with the Indigenous community to address threats to Indigenous food security, improve two-way consultation (listen more and speak less), address shortages in job availability, and invest in respecting and protecting spiritual and sacred sites.
5. Management
Maintain achievement levels of key performance indicators and continue public reporting of these results in annual reports. Seek public feedback on budgeted performance indicators.
6. Jobs
Monitor rising unemployment levels during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Provide government support for those affected throughout the Darwin Harbour region, with a focus on the areas of Palmerston and Darwin which are showing the highest unemployment rates.
7. Lifestyles & Recreation
Monitor decreasing visitation to parks and reserves during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Set upper thresholds on the carrying capacity of these parks to guarantee a sustainable future for the management and biodiversity of these parks and reserves. Address stakeholder concerns about poor air quality, which is not currently reflected in this report card grade or other reporting mechanisms (e.g. State of the Environment reporting). Investigate and develop other indicators for lifestyles and recreation such as recreational fishing.
8. Port of Darwin
Work with the Port of Darwin to develop indicators that can assess the status of the port and its role in contributing to and maintaining a healthy Darwin Harbour.
9. Sustainability
Promote and support uptake of domestic solar installations and work towards including larger-scale solar installations and greenhouse gas emissions in future report cards.
10. Tourism
Monitor decreasing visitor numbers and expenditure experienced in the Greater Darwin Area during the COVID-19 pandemic, and track recovery after the the pandemic to ensure visitor and expenditure re-aligns with the NT’s Tourism Industry Strategy for 2030.
11. Multiculturalism
Work with the NT Government to develop Darwin Harbour-specific indicators to assess progress with the Multicultural Policy for the NT 2020–2025.
12. Resilience and Climate Change
Develop indicators to assess the preparedness of the Darwin Harbour region to rising sea levels and storm surges and other targets set in the NT Climate Change Response: Towards 2050.