Minister Keith Pitt has this morning recommitted the Government to fracking the Northern Territory's Beetaloo Basin through the funding stream that was previously struck down by the Federal Court.
The Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program will now see $19.4 million in grants awarded to Liberal Party-aligned donor Empire Energy.
Empire Energy, who today have been promised almost $20 million in public money to frack the NT's Beetaloo Basin, have previously donated $40,000 to the Liberals and $25,000 to NT Labor. Empire's Chair has personally previously donated over $200,000 to the LNP.
Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said:
"Scott Morrison is using the dying days of his government to cause as much climate damage as he can, all with Labor's backing.
"By signing off on NT Labor's giant climate bomb, the Liberals are putting lives at risk.
"Gas is as dirty as coal, and the Betaloo gas project will be worse for the climate than the Adani coal mine. The NT gas fields contain almost 70 years' worth of Australia's total climate pollution, and today Keith Pitt has signed off on detonating that climate bomb.
"The only way we'll break the bipartisan coal and gas grip on this country is by putting Greens in balance of power."
As stated by Greens Resources and Minerals Spokesperson Senator Dorinda Cox:
"Minister Pitt's decision today is a climate grenade that this government is throwing over their shoulder on the way out. What a desperate act from a dying government.
"This decision will cause enormous destruction to Country. My heart goes out to people of the Gudanji, Yanyuwa, Garrwa, Jingili, Mudburra and Alawa nations over this dreadful news, who are on the frontline as as the last line of defence for their land, skies and waters."
"Once again decisions are being made about our land that desecrate our cultural heritage, while simultaneously wrecking the climate for our kids, where mining interests take precedence over Traditional Owners' right to their land."
