Traditional Owners comment on today’s coverage of the NT government’s failure to respond to water quality risks from flooding across the Beetaloo Basin and, in particular, a fish kill incident at Marlinja. The ABC reports it took 4 days for officials to assess the site.

Djingili elder and Chair of Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, Samuel Janama Sandy, responded to the news, saying, “No one knows yet why fish died at Newcastle Creek and if it was from fracking pollution, but why did it take four days for the government to come out and do tests?“

During these big rains we worry that the Territory government isn't on the ground checking how gas companies are dealing with their poisons which might run into sacred creeks and rivers. It's out of sight, out of mind.

“I’ve seen open ponds at fracking sites which have poisoned water in them and we know they can overflow during the floods.

“Tamboran has already been fined for spraying drill water on country. They are also being investigated for pumping what could be poisoned water into a cattle paddock.

“Water is everything to us. We have a responsibility to care for our grandparents’ country and look after water and animals. No one wants this put at risk”.