Bayside Council is supporting opposition to plans for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Northern Territory on the basis of pollution and threatening the rights of local Aboriginal people.
Mayor Joe Awada made the call in a Mayoral Minute at last night's Bayside Council meeting and was supported by his fellow councillors.
He asked that in support of the indigenous communities of the Northern Territory, Council writes to Origin Energy to request to cease all plans to conduct fracking, also noting the devastating impact fracking has on climate change and the natural environment.
"On 2 October 2018, Origin Energy announced a contract to supply solar power from their 56 MW Moree Solar Farm to 20 Sydney local councils, including Bayside Council," Cr Awada said in his Mayoral Minute..
"This is via a group Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) led by the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC).
"Origin Energy pride themselves on their "good energy" brand and claim to take climate change seriously. Origin Energy is planning to start shale gas fracking in the Northern Territory.
"This does not meet the criteria for "good energy". Fracking in the Northern Territory would not only be one of the largest potential sources of carbon pollution in the world, but it poses huge threats to the lands, waters and rights of local Aboriginal people.
"In February 2019, the Australia Institute and thirty of Australia's leading scientists - including many of Australia's leading climate scientists - called for a permanent ban on unconventional gas development in the Northern Territory due to is potential impact on global warming.
"The Northern Territory is one of the areas that will suffer most from global warming if global emissions are not decisively reduced.
"CSIRO projections show that, if emissions continue to rise, Darwin could experience up to 275 days per year above 35 degrees by 2070.
"Combined with Darwin's high humidity, this could make the region virtually uninhabitable. Increasing extreme heat is just one of many potentially devastating impacts of climate change.
"Despite this, a moratorium on unconventional gas extraction in the Northern Territory was lifted by Chief Minister Michael Gunner in April 2018.
"Our future economies and energy policies need to be based on renewable energies which protect our fragile ecosystems and respect traditional owners' land and water rights.
"I call upon Origin Energy to show leadership in the field of energy and cease fracking in the Northern Territory," Cr Awada said.
