The Australian government is currently reviewing an emergency application filed by an indigenous group to halt the pipeline construction for Santos Ltd’s $3.6 billion Barossa gas project off northern Australia. Six indigenous elders from the Tiwi Islands have urged Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to take action to protect their heritage, which they claim is at immediate risk of being desecrated due to the pipeline’s construction. “Applications are considered in order of urgency and have different assessment requirements,” stated a spokesperson from the environment department via e-mail. “The department is considering the short-term emergency application.”
Santos, which plans to commence gas production from Barossa by the first half of 2025, has not provided a response to the request for comment. The indigenous Tiwi people assert that the pipeline route will cause significant harm to ancient burial grounds, aboriginal art, and other sacred ancestral sites located along the sea floor. “This will impact our spirituality and destroy our health, our home, and our lives,” stated elder Molly Munkara.
The indigenous group claims that Santos was made aware of their concerns but still intends to proceed with the pipeline construction. If the government grants immediate protection to the area, Santos may be compelled to pause its plans. This decision by the Tiwi elders to seek government intervention could introduce further complications for the project. Earlier this year, the offshore regulator directed Santos to assess the environmental risks to underwater indigenous cultural heritage before commencing pipeline works.
Although the order did not explicitly prohibit the start of work on the pipeline installation, the regulator anticipated that Santos would refrain from initiating any actions that could lead to unaddressed, evaluated, and managed impacts. Renju Jose reporting in Sydney; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan.
