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'Litigate you to death': Gas giant uses new tactic which could sink environmental dissenters

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-30/santos-tiwi-islands-barossa-traditional-owners-legal-fight/104025414

Santos is pursuing the climate movement through the courts after winning a challenge brought by traditional owners against a massive gas project. Experts warn it could help spell the end of public interest litigation in Australia.

'Litigate you to death': Gas giant uses new tactic which could sink environmental dissenters

Santos going very much against the vibe of the constitution.

2 comments

prex

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Step up Albo. SLAPP lawsuits are an insult to the rule of law.

Edit: Albi?

autotldr

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This is the best summary I could come up with:

The fight to stop climate change is slowly creeping from the environmental front lines of land and sea to the hallowed halls of Australia's courtrooms.

But then a group of Tiwi Islander traditional owners, led by Dennis Tipakalippa, took the regulator to court, saying the approval was unlawful as they hadn't been properly consulted.

But following its win, Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher stood in front of reporters in Darwin and said the company wouldn't pursue the Tiwi Islanders for costs.

Santos applied to the court for subpoenas seeking a wide range of documents from four environmental charities: The Environment Centre NT (ECNT), Jubilee Australia, Sunrise and Market Forces.

"Santos is using the potential of seeking costs against third parties … to go after groups who merely offer moral or solidarity support to public interest litigants," Mr Watson says.

The subpoena issued to ECNT disrupted the organisation enormously, Ms Howey says, forcing them to hire lawyers and divert staffing resources.

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