EDO lawyers will be in court today to defend Tiwi Elder Dennis Tipakalippa’s landmark win against mining giant Santos’ Barossa gas project.
In September, Justice Mordecai Bromberg overturned drilling approvals and gave Santos two weeks to shut down and remove its drilling rig from the sea north of Melville Island.
Over the next two days, our lawyers will appear before the full court of the Federal Court as Santos tries to reverse the landmark ruling that halted its $3.6bn Barossa gas project.
Watch and share Dennis Tipakalippa’s video explaining why he launched this case.
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Santos’ Barossa project is set to unleash a conservative estimate of 469 million tonnes of carbon emissions.
If it goes ahead, Barossa will be one of the most polluting gas fields in Australia and lock in gas extraction for the next 20 years, fuelling the climate crisis.
Tiwi Traditional Owners know that the Barossa gas project poses a risk to food sources and continuous spiritual connection to Sea Country that has endured for millennia.
That’s why Dennis Tipakalippa, on behalf of his community, has been fighting it in court.
His court case win was a huge victory for the Munupi Clan and a testament to their strength in the face of one of Australia’s largest mining companies.
Now, as Santos throws its weight behind trying to reverse the decision so it can resume drilling for gas in Tiwi Sea Country, Mr Tipakalippa is not backing down.
In court over the next two days, we’ll be fighting to raise the bar on consultation with First Nations Peoples on mining projects. We’ll be fighting on behalf of all those who believe that communities should have a say over fossil fuel developments that threaten their home and way of life.
