Traditional owners from the Beetaloo Basin are concerned about the Tamboran Resource’s fracking plans, and have submitted their opposition to the project. 

The Department of Industry, Science and Resources is investigating if Empire Energy has been given Research & Development grants in preparation for fracking in the Beetaloo Basin. This is contrary to the R&D program’s rules, Kim Wingerei reports.

The Northern Territory Government has announced that a natural gas pilot project at Shenandoah South in the Beetaloo Sub-basin has been successfully completed.

Traditional Owners from the Beetaloo Basin have criticised the federal government after it confirmed a probe into whether millions of dollars of public funds were given to oil and gas companies through a research and development scheme that explicitly excludes fossil fuel exploration.

Environmentalists say the planned expansion of fracking operations in the Beetaloo Basin increases the need for water samples to be taken quickly after incidents are reported. (James Elton)

Word first emerged about the discovery of dead fish in the small community of Marlinja, south of Katherine, on January 15.

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.

Last week the Federal Government passed a bill to expand the water trigger to include fracking projects.

The move means any unconventional gas projects will need to be approved by an independent body before they go ahead.

Traditional Owners from Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, working to protect country from fracking in the Beetaloo Basin, today welcomed greater scrutiny of gas companies' water use, with the Federal government introducing amendments to expand the ‘water trigger’ to cover fracking, in line with recommendations of the Pepper Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the NT.

The Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (“Nurrdalinji”) presents this submission to the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee Inquiry into the Middle Arm Industrial Precinct. We would welcome the opportunity to give testimony at any public hearing held as part of this Inquiry.

The latest report concludes that the proposed Beetaloo Basin project could produce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 11 per cent of Australia's 2021 emissions.