‘FAKE NEWS’: ANTI-WOODSIDE CUSTODIAN REACTS TO ANDREW BOLT RANT

A Traditional Custodian who recently defeated Woodside in the Federal Court has invited conservative commentator Andrew Bolt to meet with her on country after he used his program on Sky News to question her spiritual beliefs.

Mardudhunera custodian and campaigner Raelene Cooper told Ngaarda Radio Mr Bolt’s report was “fake news”.

The Federal Court overturned Woodside’s permit to conduct seismic blasting because it found the company had not adequately consulted custodian Ms Cooper.

The decision was a major blow to Woodside’s Scarborough gas project.

Last week on his program The Bolt Report, the commentator criticised the court for allowing Ms Cooper’s “mystical views” to halt the blasting.

“She says [blasting] will disrupt the songlines of whales,” he told his viewers in a nine-minute segment.

“Call me stupid, but I didn’t realise there were songlines even for whales far out at sea.”

Mr Bolt also expressed skepticism about a Mardudhunera turtle dreaming story shared by Ms Cooper about Rosemary Island.

“I may be too cynical, but I often wonder how many Aborigines today sincerely believe such stories and how many just use them for leverage for one reason or another,” Mr Bolt said.

Ms Cooper said she found the Sky News segment “laughable”.

“The individual who’s talking about this has no idea what he’s talking about and has no intentions to even have an understanding of it, because he is fake,” she said.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce also weighed in on the court outcome on Mr Bolt’s program, calling it “patently absurd” and saying it would have negative economic impacts.

Ms Cooper said she was open to dialogue with Mr Bolt and Mr Joyce, providing they come to Murujuga on the Burrup Peninsula, where Woodside plans to process the gas from the Scarborough project.

“The first thing [Mr Bolt] needs to do is get off his so-called throne and actually come out the the Burrup,” she said.

“I’m inviting him, and Barnaby if he hasn’t already been here, to come out to the Burrup and see what’s actually going on.

“Don’t just look at pictures and hear other people’s stories. Come out to the Burrup, I’m inviting you. Let me show you my stories, so that he has an understanding when he talks about myths.”

Listen to an interview with Ms Cooper.