Territory teachers call on Natasha Fyles to reverse fracking call due to ‘student wellbeing’ concerns

The teachers say fracking the Beetaloo basin will ‘make parts of the NT unlivable within just a few decades’ while calling for ‘an immediate reversal’ of the decision to allow it to go ahead.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles says the NT government has kept its promises on fracking the Beetaloo basin. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Hundreds of Northern Territory teachers have written to the Chief Minister urging her to ban fracking in the Beetaloo basin, flagging their “deep concern” over student wellbeing and educational outcomes.

In the letter, signed by more than 300 teachers and support workers, the teachers say their duty of care for students means they also have a duty to advise the government “that its actions will have devastating consequences for their lives”.

They say fracking the basin will contribute to climate change, which will “make parts of the NT unlivable within just a few decades” while calling for “an immediate reversal” of the decision to allow it to go ahead.

“Fracking presents immediate human health concerns and will exacerbate the effects of climate change due to its greenhouse gas emissions,” the letter reads.

“This represents a wellbeing issue for students who will be unable to safely live out their lives in the Northern Territory.

“It represents an industrial issue for teachers who will work in increasingly inhospitable and unhealthy conditions.

“Finally, it represents a sector issue where educational outcomes will decline as climate change and immediate health issues take hold.”

The teachers say climate change induced extreme heat will make it harder for students to focus and regulate their behaviour, which will be exacerbated in vulnerable communities.

“At high school, where students are expected to do upwards of 15 hours of homework each week, students who do not have access to affordable airconditioning will suffer academically,” they say.

Oliver Johns was one of more than 300 teachers to sign a letter calling on the NT government to ban fracking. Picture: Supplied

In reply, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles wrote back to the teachers, acknowledging their concerns and thanking them for raising them, saying the government was “serious about protecting our environmental and social amenity”.

“When Territory Labor came to government in 2016, we promised we would undertake an independent inquiry into fracking based on science, done in consultation with the community — we kept that promise,” she wrote.

“At the 2020 election, Territory Labor promised we would implement all 135 recommendations of that scientific inquiry — we also kept that promise.”

Ms Fyles said as a result, the government’s position on fracking was “arrived at through one of the most thorough pieces of policy, scientific and consultation work done by any government in the Territory’s history”.

“A strong economy relies on a healthy environment and our unique environment needs a specific Territory approach,” she wrote.

“Along with our world-class renewable resources, our highly prospective natural gas resources will support our energy security during the transition to renewables.”