Polly Cutmore, a Traditional Gomeroi Owner and spokesperson for the Gomeroi People Claimant Group, has rejected the Native Title Tribunal鈥檚 (NNT) findings that the New South Wales government can lease the Pilliga Forest for its 850-well coal seam gas mining project.
The NNT was asked if the leases, which overlap significant Gomeroi country, should be allowed. The NTT acknowledged the gas project鈥檚 contribution to climate change was a 鈥渟erious detriment鈥, but said energy security was also an 鈥渋mportant benefit鈥 for the public and Gomeroi people.
鈥淲ith the help of government, Santos and other mining companies have avoided considering climate impacts on ordinary people from their actions,鈥 Cutmore said on May 19. 鈥淚n no way can these impacts be mitigated, even if you believe Santos鈥 lies. Today鈥檚 decision is just putting profits before community.鈥
She said the Gomeroi People Claimant Group had, in 2022, already refused to give Santos permission to turn the Pilliga Forest into an industrial zone, deface its cultural significance and pollute its waters.
Santos initially聽聽for the lease grant in 2022. But the Federal Court last year, while unanimously rejecting the Gomeroi people鈥檚 five grounds of appeal, nevertheless found that the NTT had erred in its assessment of the Gomeroi people鈥檚 environmental concerns.聽 said that the Gomeroi people had been 鈥渄eprived of the possibility of a successful outcome by reason of the tribunal's errors鈥.聽
Cutmore said the NTT had ignored Traditional Owners by finding that Santos鈥 contribution to climate change and impact on the lives of Gomeroi people can be mitigated.
鈥淲e stood strong, united behind our culture against the gas company. Despite this decision, our mob should never be afraid to stand up for country, never be afraid to do the right thing for future generations,鈥 Cutmore said.
on May 20: 鈥淭he people from the Namoi, who rely on the water system, all the way through to the Murray Darling Basin, it鈥檚 going to be devastating for the country, the land 鈥 It鈥檚 going to be devastating for our people. We took everything into consideration what Santos offered us at the [National] Native Title Tribunal table, we said no.鈥
She said this is the first time in NSW a Native Title Claimant Group had given their nation a full vote to decide whether to accept Santos鈥 gas mining proposal.
鈥淭his is consistent with our Law,鈥 Dennis Griffen, elder and Traditional Owner from the Liverpool Plains, where Santos want to place their main pipeline. 鈥淏ut the NSW and Australian government doesn鈥檛 respect Indigenous decision-making and they dragged us through the legal system to get to this point. Griffen added that 鈥渢his decision is not the end, because we will keep resisting this gas invasion on our Country鈥.
Santos will now push for production licenses, although it is not clear how long this will take. Whether the project is viable hinges on a connecting pipeline to the Hunter, which the federal government is still assessing.
Unions NSW and Lock the Gate Alliance organised a May 6 protest outside NSW parliament, at which Gomeroi Traditional Owner Karra Kinchela said Minns 鈥渘eeds to understand that Gomeroi people have not and will never give Santos permission to destroy our country with its poisonous gas project鈥.