The Northern Territory gas fields hold the equivalent of 70 years worth of Australia’s complete national emissions from all sectors. 

Greens Senator Dorinda Cox says many traditional owners of the lands have raised serious concerns about the lack of consultation, information and respect through the process. 

The Senate Committee into the Juukan crisis has released their final report. Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe sat on the Inquiry, saying that, “This government was built on colonial violence. The final Juukan report shows us that this violence is still in the laws that we use today.”

“The Inquiry clearly showed how our heritage protection laws not only fail to protect, but are even designed to favor the developers and miners. Current legislation does not create space for adequate consultation and consent, and the possibility to say ‘no’ to a proposed activity.

With a Senate Committee into the Juukan Gorge crisis due to conclude today, the Greens have announced a comprehensive $767 million ‘Caring for Country’ plan to expand protections for Indigenous areas and sacred sites, fund more First Nations ranger programs and legislate environmental personhood to areas of First Nations significance - ensuring that future crises’ like that at Juukan are avoided.

The Greens say that the resignation of Rio CEO Mr Jacques is a good sign that the company is taking some responsibility for the Juukan Gorge disaster but there needs to be a cultural shift in the entire company and across the mining industry.
 
This cannot just be a symbolic gesture, there is still a lot of work to do, Greens Senator for Western Australia Senator Rachel Siewert said. 
 

The Australian Greens have called on the chief executive of Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Chris Salisbury, to resign or be sacked over the growing scandal regarding his company’s destruction of the sacred Pilbara site.

The Greens will also move for Rio Tinto and the Federal Environment Minister to be called before the Senate Environment References Committee.