Nannas had a great day out last Thursday, joining with Gomeroi people, CWA, Unions NSW, NSW Farmers and Lock the Gate to tell the NSW government that coal seam gas development must not be allowed to go ahead in NSW. Together we chanted “City and Country United we Stand – Protect our Water, Protect our Land”. It was a big crowd for a Thursday lunchtime – estimates of the numbers were between 1,000 and 3,000.
We caught up with many old friends from Sydney and the northwest, and Nannas from loops in Coffs Harbour, Mid-coast, the Hunter, Illawarra, Northern Beaches and Manly. Our friend, Gomeroi/Gamilaraay women, Suellyn Tighe from Coonabarabran spoke at the rally and has allowed us to publish her powerful speech to the crowd for those who could not attend.
It was hot as we marched from Customs House near Circular Quay to the Santos offices in Bligh Street and then on to parliament house. At Santos the organisers delivered a letter telling them once again that they have no social licence to drill coal seam gas wells in the Pilliga or on the Liverpool Plains, and their efforts to construct pipelines across the Pilliga forest, the Liverpool Plains and the Hunter will be blocked.
Nanna Bernie, the MC, kept the crowd entertained, Gomeroi kids sang Stand By Me in language, and there were lots of good speakers.
Three Nannas wore hoop skirts, created by Nanna Elizabeth and the Yarning Group. They looked great and were a hit with photographers. Around 40 Nannas from around NSW were there. During the march a Nanna saw a woman of sixty-something looking at the gathered Nannas, and after a bit she said “I was worried about what I’d do in retirement, but seeing the Nannas I think it’ll all be OK”.
This display of unity across the regions and interest groups Nannas agreed was a great success, and a fitting way to tell our relatively new state government that we will continue to fight Santos and to keep the pressure on them to protect Gomeroi heritage, water, land and food by ruling out coal seam gas. Until we win!
The event ended with the Angel’s song ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’ with changed lyrics and the usual audience response also changed but sung with as much gusto as usual, ‘No Way, Get Fracked, Frack Off’.
Speech by Gomeroi/Gamilaraay woman Suellyn Tighe from Coonabarabran:
“Thank you Aunt Rhonda for your gracious Welcome to Country.
We acknowledge and respect the Elders, people and ancestors of this land. We will walk, talk and conduct business in the manner which befits the oldest continuing cultures in the world.
To the Coonabarabran community – I take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank you for the continued support and strength in this battle before us. We are a small rural community which punches well above our weight and shines like a beacon to others. We did not and will not falter in the battles and tragedies which befall us.
Today we are here, to save the Pilliga and Liverpool Plains from the environmentally destructive fossil fuel company, Santos. We have come from many walks of life to be here.
We stand in solidarity, Gomeroi, Unions, Country Women’s Association, Farmers and Lock the Gate.
It is with this collective fortitude we demand the State and Federal governments stop the extraction, consumption and selling of fossil fuels.
Shed the shackles and the chains of the fossil fuel industry. We must transition with all haste to green and renewable energy.
Yet the current and previous state and federal governments, Independent Planning Commission and National Native Title Tribunal continue to pave the way for the destruction of our traditional lands.
These rigged processes ensure projects such as the Santos gas project in the Pilliga are given the green light.
Each deliberately, ignores the First Nation peoples, all the while expecting us to believe their self- serving political propaganda of procedural piety.
So what do we, as Gomeroi receive in exchange for the extinguishment of our Native Title?
- Destruction of our cultural lands, sites and 95,000 hectares of specialised forest
- Stage 1: 850 gas wells and accompanying infrastructures
- To date no less than 22 toxic spills
- Destruction of specialised water and ecological systems, flora and fauna.
- Exacerbated threats of bush fires
- Toxic salts
- Fugitive gas emissions
- Contamination of the Great Artesian Basin
- Global warming
These are but a few of the devastating consequences of the Santos gas project in the Pilliga.
We, from the Gomeroi Nation, as do all First Nations people have and continue to maintain our identity and connection to country through our stories, lores and cultural practices.
Within the Pilliga Forest, the Gomeroi Nation has
- Emu and kangaroo tracks and grinding grooves carved into the sandstone
- Stories visualised in the landscape
- Middens
- Tool manufacturing sites
- Bush tucker
- Bush medicines
- Women and men’s lore
- Ceremony”