Latest news with #Howey
The Guardian
29-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Leaked document shows two threatened species could be wiped out at Middle Arm development site
Two threatened mammal species could be wiped out at the site of a proposed industrial development on Darwin harbour backed by $1.5bn in federal funding, according to a leaked environmental assessment. Conservation advocates say it shows the controversial Middle Arm industrial project 'shouldn't get past the starting gun based on impacts to nature'. The Middle Arm project is a proposed Northern Territory government development involving the construction of wharves and jetties to be used by industries including liquified natural gas, carbon capture and storage and critical minerals. Part of the draft environmental impact statement (EIS), not publicly released but seen by Guardian Australia, found the development would likely significantly affect several species, including the black-footed tree-rat – a nocturnal rodent that dens in tree hollows – and the northern brushtail possum. Both species, which are recognised by the government as at risk of extinction, live in woodlands in the proposed development area. The assessment found the potential clearing of more than 1,000 hectares could lead to the tree-rat losing 78% and the brushtail possum 70% of their habitat on the peninsula. Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter It said this would 'likely lead to there being no black-footed tree-rats on Middle Arm peninsula' and that 'if the entire development area is cleared the remaining suitable habitat will be so patchy and fragmented that black-footed tree-rats are unlikely to persist on Middle Arm peninsula'. The draft assessment made the same analysis for the northern brushtail possum and stated the decrease in available habitat would likely lead to an overall decline in both species. It found a total of 1,22o hectares of clearing was proposed for the Middle Arm development. If the project goes ahead, the Middle Arm peninsula is expected to also lose: 70% of its old growth woodlands, which provide habitat for threatened fauna; 28% of its rainforest; 61% of its seasonal wetlands; and 12.46% of saltpan roosting habitat for the critically endangered far eastern curlew, according to the draft assessment. 'It's pretty gobsmacking in terms of the impacts on nature,' said Kirsty Howey, the executive director of the Environment Centre NT. The environment group called on both major parties to divert the promised Middle Arm subsidy to other proposals in the NT. 'This is the kind of project that shouldn't get past the starting gun based on impacts to nature,' Howey said. 'What this EIS reveals is that Middle Arm is an ecologically significant hotspot with really important, sensitive vegetation that should be protected.' A Labor campaign spokesperson said that with environmental impact studies ongoing, the federal government was 'yet to provide any approvals' and was 'committed to working with the NT government … and the community to ensure the necessary assessments take place before the project proceeds'. Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The proposed development would 'support the manufacture and export of a range of industries critical to net zero' and 'provide significant economic benefits and an estimated 20,000 jobs in the Territory', the Labor spokesperson said. A spokesperson for the NT CLP government said the draft assessment was not yet finalised or submitted and the project 'continues to be refined based on scientific evidence'. They said the government was committed to ensuring the development was 'subject to the highest level of environmental scrutiny through the strategic environmental assessment process', and was working to avoid or minimise impacts wherever possible. 'Again, it is premature to make final judgments,' they said. 'Any final proposal will be independently assessed by the NT EPA and must meet rigorous environmental standards before any decision on progression is made.' But Phil Scott, an independent candidate in the seat of Solomon, said 'both levels of government have underestimated community anger about yet another project in the NT with significant impacts on native and migratory species, a raft of other problems and poor community consultation'. Euan Ritchie, a professor of wildlife ecology and conservation at Deakin University, said destroying most of the available habitat for northern brushtail possums and black-footed tree-rats at Middle Arm would 'substantially increase the likelihood of these threatened species' local extinctions at the site'. 'And more broadly, it could also lead to a significant loss of genetic diversity of these species in the Darwin region,' he said. The Coalition's environment spokesperson, Jonno Duniam, said while the Coalition had not seen the draft report, 'our longstanding view is that the Middle Arm precinct is incredibly important for the Northern Territory and Australia as a whole'. He said various Coalition and Labor territory and federal governments had 'worked closely together for years in order to ensure that environmental considerations have been paramount' throughout that planning process.
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Delap would be 'good business' for Newcastle
Former Newcastle defender Steve Howey says Liam Delap should be on the radar of the Magpies this summer given his relatively low transfer Ipswich striker has a reported buy-out clause fee of £30m and has already been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United, but Howey believes Newcastle would be a good fit for the 22-year-old."He's got potential," said Howey to BBC Radio Newcastle. "He is big, he's strong, he's quick and he's aggressive."He is a bit of a throwback centre forward because he's very direct in what he wants to do and he can finish."He's a proven goal scorer because he's not been given many chances at Ipswich but he's still scored a fair amount of goals for them in his first season in the Premier League. Yes, he was at Manchester City where he made a few appearances but this was his first consistent season."If you look at the market now, I think for £30m it's quite good business and it would be a good club for him to sign for because Newcastle will need options when they are also competing in Europe."Listen to the full conversation on BBC Sounds
BBC News
24-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Fire at Washington waste recycling plant
A fire has broken out in a storage container at a recycling plant. The blaze, at the Veolia waste depot on Monument Way in Washington, near Sunderland, started at about 07:15 BST on Thursday. Group manager Dale Howey from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said a "bund" at the site caught fire and set light to general waste and cardboard. Staff evacuated the area while 32 firefighters tackled the blaze. No injuries have been reported and investigators have been called in to determine the cause. Mr Howey said crews were damping down and working to remove waste from the distribution site. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
18-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Newcastle 'have been putting across their intent'
Newcastle could make "a huge statement of intent" if they were to beat Aston Villa on Saturday, says former defender Steve Magpies moved up to third in the Premier League table with a 5-0 win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday and hold a five-point advantage over Villa heading into the to BBC Radio Newcastle's Total Sport programme, Howey said: "The form at the moment is very, very good. For me, if they get a performance, if they get a win against Aston Villa on Saturday, that is a huge statement of intent."They have been putting across their intent over the past couple of matches, certainly since the Carabao Cup final when you would have thought doing what they did, going in the history books, that there for would drop-off but there hasn't. "Granted, a couple of games they haven't played very well but they have gotten across the line. But they are playing against a Villa team who, let's be honest, are a very, very good team themselves."Watching them against PSG, they have got a threat. [Youri] Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, [Ollie] Watkins, [Marcus] Rashford, [Marco] Asensio, they have got players like that so they are a very good attacking force. It is at Villa Park, the atmosphere there is a feel-good factor, so that will be a very difficult game – certainly one to pick up points in."But if they can go there and win, you have to say Newcastle will be more than favourites to get one of those Champions League places because that is a difficult game."Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds
