Traditional owner wins temporary injunction to halt Santos pipeline

The news: A Tiwi traditional owner has won a last-minute temporary injunction to halt the construction of a gas pipeline off the Northern Territory coast. Simon Munkara applied to delay Santos from beginning work on its Barossa export pipeline, which is set to run within 7km of Bathurst Island.

The numbers: In its application, Santos said delaying the $5.3 billion project would significantly impact stakeholders, but presiding judge Natalie Charlesworth ruled the impact to Tiwi traditional owners could be irreparable if Santos was in breach of its environmental obligations.

The context: Munkara and Santos will return to to court on 13 November to determine if the gas company needed to revaluate the project's environmental impacts. Munkara claims the pipeline would damage areas of cultural significance.