Traditional Owners defy gas industry

Larrakia and Tiwi Traditional Owners have filed an injunction in a Korean court to impede financing of Santos’ Barossa Gas Project, which would violate a habitate protection zone near the Tiwi Islands.

The Barossa project, formerly pursued by ConocoPhillips, would involve a pipeline from the Timor Sea, skirting the Tiwi Islands, to existing LNG facilities in Darwin Harbour.

Dangalaba elder Tibby Quall has joined forces with Jikilaruwu Tiwi clan leaders Francisco Babui and Daniel Munkara, in a bid to halt financing of the project, which would violate a habitate protection zone near the Tiwi Islands.

The Jikilaruwu Tiwi clan leaders say the proposed pipeline would come too close to Bathurst Island.

"There is a reef there with lots of turtles and dugongs. The turtles lay their eggs on that beach and we go hunting in that area."

Black - Green alliance

The legal challenge has the support of an alliance between Traditional Owner groups and environmentalists, both in Australia and South Korea.

Jason Fowler from the Stop Barossa Gas Campaign says the gas pipeline would be "like building a railway line across the country."

"You've  got to build bridges over valleys, you've got to dredge out areas of  high ground, you've got to try and make it as flat and even as possible,  because you don't want your pipeline going up and down. So there's a  lot of habitat modification."

Meanwhile, climate activists in Korea warn that Barossa is a particularly dirty gas field, with an uncommonly high factor of carbon dioxide. With so much unwanted CO2, Barossa would be even dirtier than existing LNG projects in the region. Climate activists warn Barossa presents an unmanageable carbon burden that would wipe out efforts to meet various commitments and obligations on climate.

"By taking the South Korean government to court to stop this gas  project, we are protecting our family and our land," Mr Munkara said.