Stop Shale Gas Exploration In Northern Territory

A Mining company by the name of SANTOS, has made an agreement with Central Petroleum, to explore for Shale Gas in Central Australia. The size of the exploration area across the NT is 63,650 sq Klm, covering the Lands of the First Nations People of the areas from Alice Springs to Pittjantajara Country in WA.

When consulting with the First Nations People of these areas, SANTOS, only said that the exploration and eventual mining for gas would not contaminate the underground water, flora, fauna and air.

This is a fraudulant of SANTOS as everywhere where they have done this sort of exploration, eventuates into Gas drilling that has contaminated most of the area mined, the most recent is the Piliger Forest in Northern NSW, but this was not stated to the Elders of the Lands. The Elders understood that this was safe to allow outside the tourist area of Kings Canyon, but wanted the tourist area free from mining of any sort.

THe Elders were completely unaware that SANTOS had approached Central Petroleum and made an agreement with them to explore for Shale Gas in the area known as the Amedeus Basin, which stretches from just south of Alice Springs to 75kl from ULURU.

SANTOS has enlarged on this by going into Arrente Country north east of Alice Springs, and over the WA border into Pittjantajara Country.

We call on the Resources and Energy Minister, not to allow permission for Santos to explore for Shale Gas in the above mentioned areas, nor do any drilling for gas, as it is obvious that the original plan has been expanded without prior consent from the First Nations People/Elders of these Lands and the original consultation is badly flawed, and incorrect.

It is well known that Shale Gas exploration is the forerunner of Gas Drilling.

Tourism is the main and only source of commercial existance in these remote areas and tourism will be destroyed in the areas and the local Communities will lose their income and the tourists will leave the areas due to the poisoning of the gasses released, on the earth, air and water. The stench of the contamination carries for a distance of 100kl radius and the people, both adults and children in the Communities will die, as they will not leave their only homes in the Communities. They don't have anywhere else to live, and all of these areas have been the home of these people for thousands of years.

We call on the Minister to withdraw all permission granted to SANTOS for their Shale Gas Exploration so to any drilling they intend to do in the Amedeus Basin or anywhere else on thesxe Lands.

THe Lands mentioned above are providers of the food and water the People eat and drink.

We cannot allow corporate companies like SANTOS to destroy our livelihood and our Culture.