Communities at risk
Land use in the Roper-Gulf Region comprises Aboriginal land, pastoral leases (which co-exist with Native Title rights and interests), horticultural enterprises, cattle stations and remote Aboriginal communities.
This area takes in the traditional lands of the Jawoyn, Alawa, Jingili, Walmanpa, Warumungu, Ngandji and Binbinga nations, among others. Those traditional lands that are directly downstream from planned fracking activities include Mudburra, Garrwa, Yanyuwa and Gurdanji.
Affected communities in the northern area of the Beetaloo Sub Basin include Katherine, Barunga, Beswick, Mataranka, Jilkminggan, Minyerri and Ngukurr. The central area includes communities in Larrimah, Daly Waters, Dunmarra, Newcastle Waters, Marlinja and Elliott. Communities affected in the east include Borroloola and Robinson River as well as Tennant Creek in the South.
Free, prior and informed consent (FPIC)
Many First Nations people across the Beetaloo region, such as those represented by the Nurrdalinji Aboriginal Corporation, have stated that there has been no genuine FPIC process for affected communities across the basin. While some Traditional Owners have supported gas exploration on their land, many other affected groups oppose fracking but have had no opportunity to exercise their FPIC rights. When Traditional Owners take their objections before parliamentary inquiries and company AGMs, gas companies and politicians simply rely on the Traditional Owner’s lack of legally-enforceable FPIC rights to ignore them.