Giving more than $20 million in public money to help gas giants destroy land, water and sacred culturally significant sites would be bad enough. To do it during NAIDOC Week is an act of pure bastardry.
GetUp First Nations Justice Campaign Director Larissa Baldwin said:
"On Friday, Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt sang the praises of NAIDOC Week's theme for 2021, Heal Country!, as 'a call to action to protect and preserve land, water, culture and more – for the benefit of all Australians'.
"Five days later – smack-bang in the middle of NAIDOC Week – Resources and Water Minister Keith Pitt has announced the Government is gifting public money to gas corporations intent on desecrating the Beetaloo Basin, against the express wishes of Traditional Owners.
"How's that for healing Country. Nice one, Keith.
"If Keith Pitt thinks that First Nations communities and Traditional Owners across the NT are going to take this lying down, he's got another thing coming."
Media contact: Alex McKinnon 0411 829 334
Spokespeople:
Larissa Baldwin, First Nations Justice Campaign Director at GetUp