GetUp is calling on Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to urgently use her powers to protect water and ancient artefacts following the exposure of significant environmental breaches by Empire Energy during their fracking operations in the Beetaloo Basin, Northern Territory.
These violations highlight a disregard for both environmental regulations and the cultural heritage of Traditional Owners.
Amy Gordon, Gooreng Gooreng woman and Chief Campaigns Officer, GetUp, said:
“Traditional Owners have been fighting to protect water, Country and cultural heritage from fracking for decades and just last week at their AGM Empire claimed they haven’t had any water breaches and are compliant, showing Empire Energy cannot be trusted.
“Given the Northern Territory Government’s brazen support for fracking, it’s up to federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to protect water. Water is life in the NT for remote communities, the Federal Environment Minister must use the water trigger to stop these projects and ensure a thorough environmental assessment.
"We’re also calling on the Albanese Government to honour their promise and build strong national cultural heritage laws. It’s crucial that we move beyond patchwork state-based systems to a unified, federally mandated framework that incorporates the voices and knowledge of First Nations communities.”
The recent decision by the NT’s Environment Protection Authority not to demand an Environmental Impact Statement for Empire’s 10 new fracking wells underscores the urgent need for federal action.
GetUp joins community groups in urging the NT Government to impose strict penalties on Empire Energy for these significant breaches.
ENDS
Media contact, Amy Morgan, media@getup.org.au, ++61 2 8188 2870
Notes to Editors:
Key breaches include:
- Failure to Report Aboriginal Artefacts: Empire Energy delayed reporting the discovery of significant Aboriginal artefacts near the Carpentaria 4 wellpad for almost 18 months.
- Unsafe Storage of Wastewater: There were leaks between the liners of an open wastewater treatment tank at the Carpentaria 1 wellpad, risking contamination.
- Unauthorised Groundwater Usage: Empire Energy used more groundwater than their licence allowed, exacerbating the region's water scarcity issues.