Elder calls for greater protection of Great Australian Bight

The South Australian government and a senior Mirning Elder have joined calls for the Great Australian Bight and its marine life to be protected from oil and gas drilling.

Senior whale song man and Mirning Elder, Marbanu Bunna Lawrie said the area needs to stop being polluted and start being protected.

“Our mob have been looking after this country and coastline for a long time,” he said.

“We want to teach other people how to look after them.”

“We call the sea our father, our grandfather,” he said, adding that his tribe has more marine totems than any other tribe in Australia, including the whales, penguins, sea lions, dolphins, sea horse and sea birds.

His comments came after the the Greens announced they would introduce Federal and State legislation to secure protection status and safeguard the unique marine environment from pollution.

“The Great Australian Bight is a precious part of South Australia and it should be protected from oil drilling and pollution forever,” Greens spokesperson for the environment, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“Both the Federal and State governments have been too slow in protecting the area.”

AAP