NT Chief Minister targeted by anti-fracking protests in Alice Springs
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has described anti-fracking protests which reportedly left her in tears at an Alice Springs trail event as ‘harassment’. Watch the videos.
Northern Territory
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The Territory’s Chief Minister has described anti-fracking protests targeting her over the weekend as “harassment” and “un-Territorian”.
She was reportedly left in tears at the West Macs Monster trail race in Alice Springs on Sunday, after being followed by vocal protesters across the finish line.
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles was competing in the 25km event in a personal capacity.
Central Australian Frack Free Alliance protesters met her midway through the event and at the end, yelling ‘don’t run away from fracking’ and ‘don’t frack the outback’.
Ms Fyles described the protesters actions as “unsportsmanlike” and “un-Territorian”.
“It’s not okay to be harassed – it doesn’t matter who you are or where you are,” she said.
“Just because you passionately believe in an issue doesn’t mean you have the right to harass someone.
“As members of parliament we’re very accessible to our communities but there is a time and place and I felt terrible for the event organisers.
“They had put on a huge event, a very high risk event, 231km in the Australian outback (with) no phone range.
“We were isolated, we were working together to make sure that as competitors we were keeping ourselves safe.”
It comes after Ms Fyles’ Nightcliff electorate office was vandalised earlier this month with the numbers 9.8 – the number of a contentious emissions recommendation of the Pepper fracking inquiry, which environmental advocates say has not been met.
The Territory government greenlit fracking in the Beetaloo Basin just days earlier.
She was also approached by anti-fracking protesters at the recent Seabreeze Festival in Nightcliff – an incident she also described as “harassment”.
“We don’t mind being approached at unusual times but as I’ve said harassment is never okay and I’ll call it out when it happens,” Ms Fyles said.
Central Australian Frack Free Alliance member Hannah Ekin said Ms Fyles could expect more “peaceful” protests.
“Until she and her government ban the dangerous fracking industry ... everywhere will be the time and the place to protest the Chief Minister’s actions and those of the government she leads,” she said.
“The Chief Minister opened Sunday’s West Macs Monster in a public capacity as Chief Minister. The protest was peaceful.
“Her subsequent attacks against peaceful protestors is a sign of a government that wants to remain unaccountable for its lies and deeply unpopular decision to give fracking the go ahead.”
More than 100 anti-fracking protesters also gathered outside a meeting between Australian energy ministers at the Alice Springs Convention Centre on Friday.
The Alice Springs Running and Walking Club, which ran the West Macs Monster event, said it was disappointed in the protesters actions.
“We acknowledge that everyone is entitled to their own views on sensitive matters and are entitled to their political beliefs,” a joint statement by president Cail Rayment and event director Marc Woods said.
“This however appeared to be (a) personal attack on Natasha who was a participant in the 25km event and not there in an official capacity.
“Further it is a family friendly event that brings hundreds of people to Alice Springs each year.
These actions were not aligned to the safe community spirit of the event that we strive to deliver.”
NT Greens convener Jonathan Parry said the protests were peaceful and short demonstrations.
“The Greens strongly defend the right to peaceful protest, it is one of the most important pillars of our democracy,” he said.
“Territorians are worried about their future because of the NT Labor government’s ongoing disregard for the climate crisis.
“The NT Greens stands with peaceful protesters who are being ignored by the very politicians elected to represent them.”
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