Traditional Owners from across the Northern Territory are uniting to put an end to the ongoing threat of fracking on their countries.
They've penned a letter to Parliament in protest of the $50 million the Morrison Government wants to give to fracking corporations to drill.
And they're asking you to join them.
Will you add your name to their open letter to Parliament?
We speak as Traditional Owners and custodians of and around the lands and waters that you call the Beetaloo and connected basins. Although we come from many Nations, we have come together to put an end to the ongoing threat of fracking on our countries, which will denigrate and desecrate our lands.
We know our country. We read it, we understand it, and we alone speak for it and its songlines. It is our birthright - handed down by bloodline.
Together, we fight for it.
Our connections to country have been established and proven time and time again by the white man's law. We hold Native Title and Land Rights - a system that is meant to protect and enforce our rights. These have been denied to us.
For years, we have been told lies by the gas and oil corporations. That there would be no damage to the country or poison in our waters. These companies won't even answer the most basic of questions - where they plan to drill or how many wells they want to build.
These gas corporations lack any respect for us as Traditional Owners. They have failed to follow proper process in consultation with us, failed to acquire consent, failed to provide transparency in their dealings with us, and have systematically excluded our voices from the decision-making process for activities on our country.
We don't have the same resources as these corporations. The system is already set up against us.
This Federal Government coming in over the top of what little processes we have undermines our land rights as Northern Territory Traditional Owners. The same Government who has never come out to our communities to sit with us or meet with us. They are failing to represent us.
Giving $50 million to mining corporations for an 'economic recovery' to start drilling will only line the pockets of huge corporations who want to take more than we're willing to give. It does nothing but hurt us, our communities and our country more.
What about our recovery? The money to finally fulfill the empty promises of proper housing in our communities, or resourcing the health services we've been calling for for years.
And what about country's recovery? Country's water is the blood that flows through our body, and it is already poisoned. Where is the money to clean the water many NT communities are forced to drink?
This is short term money that will cause long term pain, sow division and damage country and community. We will not allow you to cause any more pain, hurt or division in our communities.
Hear us when we say - we won't allow fracking gasfields on our country. Not now. Not ever.
We are united. This is our land, and we're ready to do whatever it takes to protect country.
TalkBlack is a GetUp! initiative, led by a team of campaigners, organisers, and editors from the Widjabul Wia-bul, Gooreng Gooreng, Wiradjuri, Noongar, Wakka Wakka, Muluridji and Warumungu Nations.