WHAT: Nurrdalinji Aboriginal Corporation, which represents native title holders from the Beetaloo Basin, comments on today’s final report of the Senate Inquiry into the controversial Middle Arm Gas Hub, a development planned for Darwin Harbour.

Nurrdalinji Directors presented at the Inquiry’s Darwin public hearings in April 2024, after making a comprehensive Submission (no 57) which asked that the Federal Government:

• act to stop fracking in the Beetaloo Basin, the gas from which is planned to be processed at Tamboran’s new LNG plant at Middle Arm and then sold overseas
• not spend billions in public money on gas-related industry at Middle Arm.

Djingili elder and Nurrdalinji Director Janet Gregory, from Elliott in the heart of the Beetaloo and now living in Alice Springs because of dialysis needs said:

“Governments and mining companies have made plans to frack our country and send the gas to the Middle Arm Gas Hub, believing this is more important than the lives of our people and our future. They have dollar signs in front of their eyes as if we, our country, culture and language don’t exist.”

Djingili elder and Chair Samuel Janama Sandy, who is also on dialysis and lives in Katherine, said:

“The Territory should be frack-free and we back the call that there be no public money for gas processing at Middle Arm.
“Billions spent on Middle Arm is another big boost for the gas industry, which is doing nothing for our people. Public funding for Middle Arm could be better spent on housing, education, health and clean energy for our communities.”

High resolution photos of spokespeople for download here. Photos of Nurrdalinji Directors presenting at the Middle Arm Inquiry in Darwin in April 2024 here.

Background to Inquiry

The Inquiry was set up to consider the controversial proposal to develop Middle Arm Industrial Precinct. In 2023 Nurrdalinji commissioned respected climate scientist, Prof Bill Hare, to prepare a report into predicted emissions from fracking the Beetaloo and the Middle Arm Gas Hub and whether they can be offset.

Background to Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation

Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation has members across the Beetaloo Basin and Barkly regions. It includes native title holders from the Amungee Mungee, Beetaloo, Hayfield, Kalala, Newcastle Waters - Murranji, Nutwood Downs, Shenandoah, Tandyidgee, Tanumbirini, Daly Waters Township, Ucharonidge native title determinations.
The Beetaloo sub-basin is located around 500 kilometres south-east of Darwin. It embraces Aboriginal land, pastoral leases (which co-exist with Native Title rights and interests), horticultural enterprises, cattle stations and remote Aboriginal communities. A number of companies are currently undertaking fracked gas drilling in the region, with most of the NT covered by exploration permits.