None of the Larrakia families who gave evidence to the inquiry said they support Middle Arm, and said community briefings to date haven’t provided clear information about the risks involved in the project. 

The inquiry heard that a government-appointed ‘Cultural Consultative Committee’ (CCC) has been established, but to date has engaged only some members of just five of the nine Larrakia families.

The CCC has three members from Land Councils and Aboriginal corporations; its fourth member is an NT government official. 

While the NT government has said the CCC will support engagement with Larrakia families, and gain their consent through this process, members of the committee, including the Northern Land Council (NLC) and Larrakia Development Corporation CEO Nigel Browne, expressed reservations about the committee playing such a role. 

Larrakia Custodians said the organisations that comprise the CCC do not have the cultural authority to give consent on behalf of Larrakia families, and raised concerns about the relationships that exist between the committee, government and industry, suggesting that conflicts of interest exist.

Domic Gomez, Principle Legal Officer of NLC, told the inquiry that records are not kept on which companies and individuals NLC board members meet, and said NLC could not provide transparency around those affiliations.

In response to questions from Senator Thorpe about allegations NLC members have been paid by Santos and Australian Energy Producers to travel to Tiwi Islands and other locations to lobby for the gas industry, NLC Chair Mr Matthew Ryan confirmed he is aware that this has occurred. 

On Thursday, NT Chief Minister Eva Lawler admitted that the NT Government does not have consent from Larrakia Peoples for the Middle Arm project to proceed.

The federal government committed $1.5B and commenced the project before any consultative process with Larrakia families was undertaken, the inquiry heard. To date no cultural values assessment has been commenced as is required under the NT Environment Protection Act.

Senator Thorpe has called for the project to be cancelled given it does not have the consent of Larrakia Peoples, and has urged the senate crossbench to support an inquiry into Land Councils and First Nations corporations

Quotes attributable to Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung independent Senator, Lidia Thorpe:

“Engagement with Larrakia Custodians about this destructive project has been a sham. 

“We heard loud and clear that Larrakia families oppose this gas and petrochemical hub, which will destroy sacred Larrakia Country, and poison the oceans, waters, land and air.

“It’s unconscionable that NT and Federal Labor governments intend to progress Middle Arm without the free, prior and informed consent of Larrakia Peoples.

“There are widespread problems with governments giving Land Councils and other organisations representative roles for families. 

“Often these bodies are seen to speak on behalf of families without their agreement, and governments present these organisations as representative when they are not”. 

“Governments and gas companies will look for anyone who is willing to sign off on the destruction of Country, and they’ll call that consent. 

“We need to properly scrutinise these organisations to ensure that all First Peoples are represented in a way that respects the cultural authority of every family, and in a way that adheres to the principles of free, prior and informed consent.”

Quotes attributable to Eric Fejo - Larrakia Elder

“I’m gravely concerned about the future of my Country if this development proceeds. It is culturally unsafe. It will involve interfering with land that is sacred.

“As a person with knowledge and authority to speak for Country, there has not been adherence to the principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent from First Nations people.

“I do not consent to this development, and to do so is contrary to customary law.

“Bodies set up to facilitate Aboriginal rights under white man’s law, like the Northern Land Council, often get things wrong and fail to capture the detail of Aboriginal kinship systems. 

“Pushing ahead with this development against the clearly expressed wishes of Aboriginal people would be the opposite of respectful dialogue and would be yet another sorry chapter in the history of the genocide of Aboriginal people.

“The legacy of the stench of colonisation still lingers in this country. This is still unfinished business.”

Quotes attributable to Laniyuk – Larrakia, Kungarakan, Gurindji, and French political creative:

“The Middle Arm gas hub is an ecological and spiritual disaster on our Country. 

“Fracked gas and mining from the Beetaloo Basin and Tiwi sea Country would be brought to Middle Arm, facilitating and accelerating the destruction of our Lands and cultures. 

“It is so important to stop Middle Arm to protect Larrakia Country and culture and the Lands and culture of our Countrymen.”