Traditional Owners from across the Northern Territory have told a Beetaloo Basin Senate inquiry that they do not consent to fracking on their land because it threatens their water supplies,cultural heritage and sacred sites.
The Northern Territory Labor government, supported by the federal Liberal and Labor parties, has opened up half of the Northern Territory to oil and gas drilling .. including a 50 million dollar grant to help fast track the process in the Beetaloo Basin.
The Senate inquiry heard evidence directly from Traditional Owners in Darwin on Wednesday morning.
Speaking shortly after the hearings GetUp’s First Nations Justice Campaign Director Larissa Baldwin said “Traditional Owners have now told the Morrison Government face-to-face that they do not consent to climate-destroying fracking in the Beetaloo…. and Governments have a responsibility to respond to their call.
Chair of the Senate Beetaloo Basin Inquiry.. Yamatji Noongar women and Australian Greens Senator for WA Dorinda Cox said the NT government was not regulating the exploration process and was still working on a policy position.