A council in the Northern Territory has been charged over a near-drowning incident.

The City of Palmerston - one of the territory’s largest councils, located east of Darwin - has been charged by NT WorkSafe with nine counts of breaching workplace health and safety laws and regulations, including four counts of failing to comply with its duty of care.  

The charges come in relation to a February 2020 incident in which a council worker and a colleague were using an amphibious weed harvester to clear and remove weeds from a lake in Durack, when the craft tipped over and capsized.

A  worker was trapped underneath the harvester but escaped, sustaining some injuries.

“NT WorkSafe will allege that the City of Palmerston failed to follow all the manufacturer's safety recommendations, which were provided during the purchase of the craft,” WorkSafe NT said.

“One of the [recommendations] not followed was when the City of Palmerston modified the craft by installing a crocodile cage, without first consulting with the manufacturer on how this modification would affect the craft's stability and safety during operation.”

If found guilty of all charges, the council could be fined up to $7 million. The case is due to come before Darwin Local Court on Monday, August 29.