Adani’s Australian coal mine project may wipe out aboriginal Wangan and Jagalingou people

By NewsGram Staff Writer

Australia's aboriginal landowners have filed a fresh federal court case against the Indian mining giant, Adani Group's Carmichael coal mine project.

ET reported that the Wangan and Jagalingou (W&J) people, the traditional owners of the land, said on Friday that they have vowed to stop the project, amounting to A$16.5 billion dollars, the biggest in Australian history. They said that if the project goes ahead, the W&J's vast traditional lands and their ancient connection to the country will "disappear" forever.

"We have filed an appeal and judicial review in the federal court of Australia. This court action challenges the decision of Australia's National Native Title Tribunal that the Queensland government may issue mining leases for Carmichael," said W&J spokesperson Adrian Burragubba.

"This challenge is unprecedented in the history of Native Title Tribunal decisions. If necessary, we will take our case all the way to the high court," he added.

"We will communicate to the banks that we do not consent to Carmichael… We will remind them that any bank that funds Carmichael will be breaching important human rights principles to which they are signatory; principles requiring that projects that affect indigenous Owners have their consent. We'll urge them to honour their obligations and commit to ruling out funding," said Burragubba as reported by ET.

In reaction to the challenge, Adani Group's Australia spokesperson told ET, "Adani is confident that the judgement of the National Native Title Tribunal (NNTT) will be upheld."

"The NNTT variously held that authorised representatives of the W&J are working with the company, the submissions of groups purporting to represent the whole group were not relevant, that the mine and other Adani projects would deliver substantial inter generational economic benefits to the W&J, and that are sound and effective cultural heritage management plans for the site long since in place."

"It is unfortunate that NGOs who have deductible gift recipient status, narrowly with respect to their environmental activities have admitted to channeling funds to run a divisive campaign within the W&J group", added the spokesperson.