The Northern Territory government has lost its appeal against a landmark court ruling which found it was legally responsible for ensuring safe drinking water for tenants of Territory public housing.
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00:00Running water that could be dangerous to drink.
00:05For years, that was the reality for residents in the remote community of Laramba, who first
00:10took the housing department to court in 2019, after finding traces of uranium in the community's
00:16drinking water three times above the Australian standard.
00:20After losing in the NT's civil court, the group successfully appealed the ruling in
00:25the Supreme Court, which the government challenged earlier this year.
00:29On Christmas Eve, the Supreme Court shot down that challenge, the government now liable
00:34for safe drinking water across the territory.
00:37Solicitor Dan Kelly says last year's construction of Laramba's water treatment plant was life-changing
00:42for the area, and hopes the decision will lead to water quality improvements throughout
00:47the territory.
00:48Although Laramba's problem was solved, there's many other communities that are still in the
00:53same situation as Laramba, have high levels of fluoride or aluminium or indeed uranium,
00:58with no government department taking any responsibility.
01:01The department didn't respond to a request for comment.
01:04The government is still able to file yet another appeal to the High Court before the civil
01:09tribunal returns to determine compensation in February.