Northern Territory Consolidated Acts

WATER ACT - SECT 39

(1) Where the holder of a mining tenement, as defined in section 4 of the Mining Act , an exploration licence granted under that Act, or a permit or licence as defined in the Petroleum Act is obliged to:

(a) obtain and send to the Secretary, as defined in the Mining Act or the Minister under the Petroleum Act , as the case may be, water samples and data on underground water encountered during exploration drilling;

(b) deposit a drill core or cutting with the Secretary under the Mining Act or a person directed by the Secretary or inform the Minister under the Petroleum Act of the recovery of such a core or cutting; or

(c) lodge at the office of the Secretary a report,

the Controller may:

(d) have access to any such samples, data, drill core, cutting or report;

(e) arrange for or undertake an analysis of such samples, drill core or cutting; and

(f) make or obtain copies of any such data or report,

notwithstanding any provisions of the Mining Act or Petroleum Act concerning confidentiality and without the need to obtain the permission of the holder of the mining tenement or exploration licence or permit or licence under the Petroleum Act .

(2) Where under subsection (1) a person becomes aware of information to which confidentiality attaches under the Mining Act or Petroleum Act , the person shall not reveal the information to, or suffer or permit the information to be revealed or to be discovered by, a person who is not an authorised officer.

Penalty: $5,000.