Dear Chief Minister,

I urge you to immediately stop the flow of gas company workers travelling through NT's remote indigenous communities. This is putting the lives of vulnerable communities at risk. 

On Tuesday we found out that Santos gas workers were in isolation after showing Covid-19 symptoms (Published 17 March 2020)

https://www.upstreamonline.com/safety/santos-workers-in-isolation-after-showing-covid-19-symptoms/2-1-775194?fbclid=IwAR07Bibbu80LMVnyi5qBHXPDD_AsA034Ty_boV5hJwcylr_2CXN3EeW3hjE

On Wednesday you stated that “My focus right now is protecting our remote communities. I believe you do whatever it takes.”

On Thursday key Aboriginal groups called on the Northern Territory to declare itself a “special controlled area” to keep coronavirus from spreading

On Saturday you announced strict new border controls to stop the spread of the coronavirus and to protect the health of our most vulnerable people in remote indigenous communities. However you indicated that gas companies would be exempt from these restrictions.

This is not good enough. 

Indigenous residents of the remote NT community of Borroloola are urgently calling on the NT Government to ban gas company workers from travelling through the Gulf and Barkly region during the coronavirus crisis.

Garrwa and Yanyuwa man Gadrian Hoosan said today he was concerned for his community’s safety, with mining and gas workers seemingly able to continue travelling through the region.

“What is a concern for me is the FIFO workers, we’ve been worried about them - what if they’re affected by Covid-19?

“If there’s a problem with tourists coming here, then there’s a problem with mine and gas workers flying in from international and interstate areas and not being tested before coming through our regions, that’s what worries me.”

It is now time to act. You must restrict fracking companies from entering Bush communities at this time.

Kind regards