Aboriginal elders protest rocket launch in SA’s far west
A Ceduna-based Aboriginal elder is in Adelaide calling on the Premier to stop a rocket launch she claims will be “devastating” to her traditional lands. Supporters are rallying in the city today against the Southern Rocket testing.
Aboriginal elder, Aunty Sue Haseldine of the Kokatha nation, has travelled from her home in Ceduna to Adelaide to call on Premier Peter Malinauskas to halt Southern Rocket’s rocket testing in South Australia’s far west, which she claims would be “devastating” to her traditional lands.
Haseldine told InDaily said she wants to see “to achieve total protection of country, culture and the animals”.
“I’ve been trying to fight for country for many years against all different comers – miners and whatever – and now we are fighting the threat of rockets launching and devastating our country,” said Haseldine.
“Southern Launch has been speaking with the Koonibba council and the Far West Coast Native Title Claim, but they haven’t consulted with everybody; they certainly didn’t consult with me, because they would not get consent from me to destroy country and the animals that live on that country as well.
“That’s why we’ve come all the way to Adelaide: to make city people aware of our fight, because it’s not going to get out any other way.”
Earlier this month, Premier Malinauksas and Industry, Innovation and Science Minister Joe Szakacs announced that Southern Launch and US-based company Varda Space Industries have signed a deal to facilitate 20 new spacecraft return missions at Koonibba Test Range by 2028.
The missions will see in-space manufacturing capsules return to earth with payloads that have made novel pharmaceuticals in orbit and conducted experiments in microgravity.
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The capsules will be launched as part of a SpaceX rideshare mission before re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of more than 30,000 kilometres per hour and will land under parachute on South Australia’s west coast.
At the time, Premier Malinauskas said establishing South Australia as the first commercial spaceport to accept commercial returns, “speaks volumes to our reputation as a global leader in the field”.
“Southern Launch securing these additional missions with Varda to enable their commercial space return operations reinforces our state’s position as a trusted, strategic location for this capability,” he said.
Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp said the contract is “a vote of confidence in our team and our facilities”.
“With each successful mission, we’re proving that the Koonibba Test Range is the best place on Earth to bring space technology home,” he said.
“Routine re-entries are no longer a dream; they are happening now, and we are proud to lead the way alongside Varda.”
Haseldine will be joined at the rally by fellow Kokatha elder Andrew Starkey, Dr Dylan Coleman, Bonny Brodie, Professor Irene Watson, Rochelle Humphrey, Dr Kate Wylie, Dr Amanda Ruler, Jacob Grech and Derek Burke.
The rally was expected to start at the Australian Space Agency at Lot Fourteen at midday, with protesters marching through Rundle Mall to Parliament House on North Terrace.
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According to campaign organisers, the objectives of the protest were to “protect sacred sites and threatened species”, “to stop militarisation of an area of outstanding natural beauty and cultural significance” and to “highlight a deeply flawed approval process that failed to get consent from all Traditional Owners and is causing division in the community”.
In a joint statement, Southern Launch and Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation – those protesting today are not part of the corporation – said they have a proud history of working together collaboratively.
A spokesperson said that for each mission conducted at the Koonibba Test Range, Southern Launch, and the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation worked through a comprehensive approval process with many different regulators.
These included the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation (FWCAC), The District Council of Ceduna, the Department for Aboriginal Affairs & Reconciliation, the Department for Environment and Water Australian Space Agency and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
The spokesperson said that every mission at the Koonibba Test Range was approved by the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation and the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation to ensure that all cultural areas of significance are protected throughout mission operations.
The FWCAC manages land legally recognised as belonging to the Far West Coast Aboriginal Peoples under the 2013 Native Title determination, the spokesperson said.
“The Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation and Southern Launch have a proud history of working together to develop the Koonibba Test Range. For the past eight years, we have worked collaboratively to create a unique capability to service the global space industry,” said Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation CEO Corey McLennan.
“For each mission, we have Cultural Authority approvals, which enable us to continue this exciting initiative on our lands. The Koonibba community continues to welcome the global space industry to our proud community.”
Haseldine said that country is important to her community because “there’s our school, our church, our pharmacy, our grocery shop, our butcher shop”.
“Everything we need to survive is on country, and the country doesn’t belong to us – we belong to country, and my job, and all my children’s jobs are to protect that country for future generations,” she said.
“When they go out on country, they learn respect, they learn to look out for each other, and they learn survival.
“It’s very important because so much has been lost and we’re struggling to hold onto a small bit to keep culture alive.”
Premier Malinauskas’s office was contacted for comment.
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