ancient waters not yours to destroy!

sign the citizens protection declaration

State and federal governments have earmarked vast expanses of Gunditjmara Sea Country for a massive expansion of gas mining.

Sign the Citizens Protection Declaration to stand in solidarity with First Nations communities asserting their care for Sea Country.

“We as First Nations Peoples come from the Oldest Culture in the World! Our Old People have cared for Country since time immemorial. It’s about time we are listened to, and fully supported by State and federal Governments to implement a First Nations led response for understanding climate change through Ocean conservation and Protection, fine tuned oceanic education and eco tourism. We hold the solutions for Caring for Country.

Our community members and Elders ask: Wantayngeenkopa leekanyoong ngootook?? What’s the matter within you? What’s the matter with you that you destroy future generations right to live?? Mine and future generations have inherited a world of pollution, disease and mass extinction!” – Vicki Couzens, Gunditjmara Keeray Whurrong Elder.

Listen to the oldest Storyteller, honour our collective present and protect our future!

We are hosting this Citizens Protection Declaration on behalf of the Southern Ocean Protection Embassy Collective.

"*" indicates required fields

First Name*

Last name*

Email*

Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Phone

CAPTCHA

citizens protection declaration

We grant immediate protection to Koontapool/Southern Right Whale

Gunditjmara ancient and current cultural birthing practices, ceremonial engagements and stages of learning are directly interwoven with the birth of Whales. Koontapool holds significant physical and cultural significance to revived southern clans and coastal People’s women’s and men’s business. This is highly significant creation law story this is intrinsically connected to language revival and regeneration of Gunditjmara Land, Sky and Sea Country
identity and belonging. Koontopool dreaming aligns our next generation of Gunditjmara newborns and children with their cultural identity, personal, family clan, nation totems and Culturally environment and ceremonial responsibilities.

Southern Right Whales are critically endangered and listed under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.
The EPBC Act establishes the Australian Whale Sanctuary and gives high levels of protection to cetaceans in
Commonwealth waters.

We declare a critical habitat for Southern Right Whales

Gunditjmara Sea Country is rich in biodiversity and significance. Irreplaceable damage to sea life, ocean ecology, and Koontapool Songlines must be avoided at all costs.

Calving and nursery grounds and migration routes must be managed and protected so as to maximise the species’ reproductive potential’ under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act and EPBC Act.
Regulatory protection of critical habitat must be provided under Habitat Conservation Orders under Victorian legislation.
State and Federal governments must recognise Australia’s commitment to the Marine Bioregional Plan which recognises
the Southern Right Whale and their important calving grounds.
Governments must also comply with the conditions of membership of the CMS Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (the Pacific Cetaceans MoU).

We support First Nations people who hold the solutions for caring for Country

We demand an absolute stop on the government’s continuation to manipulate physical, psychological and physiological separation of Aboriginal people and Aboriginal places our cultural landscape which extends from the Land, into the Sky and Sea.

Article 25 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinctive spiritual relationship with their traditionally owned or otherwise occupied and
used lands, territories, waters and coastal seas and other resources and to uphold their responsibilities to future generations in this regard

We refuse any further fossil fuel projects on our land and in our waters

We condemn all new and existing seismic testing and gas mining exploration approvals across the south west Victorian coastal waters covering Gunditjmara Sea Country.

We demand an absolute stop to mining, drilling and other forms of environmental assault on Gunditjmara country, specifically areas of highly regarded cultural significance. These include sacred Whale Songline and Birthing Country and Sacred Women’s Country.

We refuse permits allowing resource extraction industries to continue operations and commit further advances of a foreign destructive colonial legacy.

Drilling must be included alongside seismic testing as risks to whale safety under the Conservation Management Plan for the Southern Right Whale: A Recovery Plan under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Greater regulatory provisions must be included under the Wildlife Act 1975 to include restrictions on ocean blasting and
drilling.

We demand to engage in negotiations for protection and sanctuary status granted to the entire South West iconic coastline and coastal waters, a large part of which make up Gunditjmara Sea Country

We believe that it is in the Government’s best interest to respectfully engage and negotiate solutions for Country, not breaking their own governments climate targets to appease oil and gas mining executives. We are calling out the State Government and extractive industries on their entire consultation process. Consultation is not consent.

First Nations free prior and informed consent is completely missing from a time where Victorian government is promoting Treaty. First Nations Peoples long held spiritual ties to the land and life sustaining resources have become lip service to the government. There will be nothing left to Treaty on because climate change is not coming, it’s here! Our Sacred Sites and All Life are at major risk of extinction!

Article 32, Item 2 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that states shall consult and cooperate in good faith with the Indigenous peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their
free and informed consent prior to the approval of any project affecting their lands or territories and other resources, particularly in connection with the development, utilization or exploitation of mineral, water or other resources.

We will not accept salvage, or climate change offsetting when it comes to the blue lungs of our planet.

United We Stand