Public Forum on the Extinguishment of Native Title in the Cooper Basin

Monday, November 12, 2012 - 18:30 to 20:30

Public Forum hosted by Left Unity

Defend Native Title! Defend Aboriginal Heritage! No Shale Gas Mining in SA!

Monday November 12, 6.30 for 7pm start

Function room (upstairs)
@ the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, Port Rd, Hindmarsh

The State government recently passed legislation which extinguishes the rights of native title holders to negotiate with mining companies on leases granted before the introduction of the Native Title Act in 2000. Shortly after the State government made these changes, mining giant, Santos announced it had begun the first commercial exploitation of shale gas in Australia, in the Cooper Basin, in far north SA. Shale gas is a greenhouse monstrosity, with a carbon footprint 1.3 – 2.1-fold greater than coal on a 20 year time frame (Prof Robert Howarth Cornell University).

So according to Jay Weatherill and Tom Koutsantonis the rights of mining companies to profit from cooking our planet are more important than the rights of Aboriginal traditional owners to exercise custodianship of their land!

SA Native Title Services is taking a challenge to the Federal Court on racial discrimination and constitutional grounds. How else can the community support the rights of native title holders and stop the expansion unconventional fossil fuels in South Australia?

Come along to this special Left Unity public forum to discuss the issues.

Guest speakers: Syd Sparrow, Chairperson, State Aboriginal Heritage Committee and Andrew Cooper, researcher on unconventional mining techniques, and a speaker from the Aboriginal Political Party

Ph 0403 679 742 or 0411 587 663 for more info