Adrian Burragubba, a senior Wangan and Jagalingou representative, told a well attended online rally on August 30 that the more than six-year long campaign to halt the coalmine had not ended. “The Queensland government has refused to meet with us all this time. But we won’t go away. We can’t allow this mine to destroy our country.”
More than 800 people took part in the online rally organised by Stop Adani, and supported by Galilee Blockade and School Students 4 Climate Action.
Adani is destroying Wangan and Jagalingou country, extracting huge volumes of water to dig the mine. Scientists say the water draw could have already caused irreversible damage to the Doongmabulla Springs, just 10 kilometers from the mine.
Burragubba said the mine “will be a catastrophe every bit as destructive to our culture, and as hurtful to our people, as the blasting of the caves at the Juukan Gorge”.
The Wangan and Jagalingou people have written to the Queensland environment minister requesting an urgent stop work order to allow an independent investigation into groundwater impacts on the Doongmabulla Springs. They have been ignored.
Burragubba said the Doongmabulla Springs are the “heart of our country” and affirmed that the group had “never given our consent”. Burragubba’s son is part of a cultural occupation by First Nations campaigners at the mine site.
Stop Adani and Tipping Point spokesperson Isaac Astill launched a social media campaign aimed at pushing the Queensland environment minister to meet Wangan and Jagalingou representatives. The campaign includes dozens of online actions from September 7—17.
[Sign up here for a solidarity action.]