Alawa Elders said they have been ignored and dismissed as Traditional Owners at Origin Energy’s virtual annual meeting today.
After asking the company’s chairman Scott Perkins why they haven’t consulted many Traditional Owners and Native Title holders on their plans to frack the Beetaloo Basin, Aunty May August said she was rattled by the silence.
“That person didn't answer my question... They just cut off the line,” she said.
When the question was finally acknowledged, Aunty Naomi Wilfred said she was told Alawa Elders don’t speak for the area.
”They told me she wasn't a Traditional Owner… but we know who we are and where we’re from,” Ms Wilfred said.
A spokesperson from Origin Energy told NITV News the claims are “simply untrue”.
“We respect the Native Title determinations made by the Federal Court on who the Native Title holders are, and who Native Title holders across the Beetaloo project area have chosen as their representative, the Northern Land Council,” they said.
“We will continue to engage and consult with the decision-makers who hold the Native Title rights and cultural authority to speak for their country, and we respect the decisions they make about their country.”
But Ms Wilfred said Origin Energy isn't looking at Native Title holders properly.
“We have four clans in the community. Land connection goes a long way, it can cross three to four thousand miles where different tribes are connected. They don’t even understand that," she said.
“He doesn’t know anything about our land connection, our cultural connection, how we connect with the ground underneath."
Ms Wildfred said she believes 98 per cent of the communities that will be affected by Origin Energy’s fracking and gas exploration in the Basin are against the company’s plans.
Origin Energy Chairman Scott Perkins speaking at the company's annual general meeting today.
“It’s like four or five people that are making that agreement without coming to our four clans,” she said.
Ms Wilfred said she’s concerned about how Origin Energy’s projects could affect surrounding Aboriginal communities, especially during the wet season.
“Our water is going to be contaminated. The poison is going to be flowing down with the floods downstream. We're the ones going to end up getting very sick or dying over this mining.”
“The mining company thinks all about themselves, not listening to our views and what we want.”
Origin Energy said their explorations have been certified by the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority.
“Origin’s activities comply with the legislative requirements designed to avoid impact on sacred sites, including water,” a spokesperson said.
Widjabul woman and GetUp First Nations Justice Campaign Director Larissa Baldwin said current legislation is inadequate to do sufficient consultation.
“These licences in the Northern Territory cover 70 per cent of the territory... that is so many different clan groups, language groups.”
“There are two laws and it's time the western system of law recognised what it means to give us a say over country.”
The meeting comes on the same day that Empire Energy was given full approval by the NT government to start drilling in the Beetaloo Basin.
Environment Minister Eva Lawler said the company met all the necessary requirements.
"They've done all the right things," she said.
"They've prepared their environment management plan, there's been some to-ing and fro-ing around that, they now have their EMP signed off."
Origin's plans for further exploration are still being assessed by Ms Lawler.
