Northern Territory Traditional Owners delivered a strong message to Origin Energy's shareholders on October 17.
Speaking outside the company’s AGM at the five-star Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Stuart Nuggett from the Elliott community said: “These mining companies are destroying our land and our way of life.” Nuggett added he had a simple message for Origin Energy: “My land is not for sale!”
Nicholas Milyari Fitzpatrick from Borroloola warned that fracking poison was “going down into our aquifers, which spread for hundred of kilometres”. Fitzpatrick said that his community's experience with Glencore's McArthur River lead-zinc mine gave them little confidence, as the mine was responsible for poisoning rivers and the government just covered it up.
Alawa Traditional Owner Stephanie Roberts said: “We want to stop this fracking on our land.”
Millie Telford of the Seed Youth Climate Network warned that opening up the NT to fracking not only lacked consent from Traditional Owners and risked poisoning aquifers and waterways, but would also have a drastic impact on climate change.