Minister Plibersek, you can save Lee Point

The Darwin community has stood up in a spectacular way and inspired the nation to fight for Lee Point and everything it represents.

Faced with imminent clearing, the community hosted a vigil on Sunday the 2nd of July 2023 joined by community leaders and Professor Martine Maron.

The deeply moving event ended with a stirring call to action from the Danggalaba Kulumbirigin Elders to stand in solidarity with the Traditional Owners and protect Lee Point – known as Binybara.

The Darwin community is kind and powerful but we need everyone’s help to encourage Minister Plibersek and Prime Minister Albanese to listen to Danggalaba Kulumbirigin Larrakia Elders and the community and directly respond to the climate and extinction crisis.

Minister Plibersek, you can save Lee Point.

Dear Prime Minister Albanese and Minister Plibersek,
Binybara (Lee Point) on Larrakia country is culturally significant to the Danggalaba Kulumbirigin Traditional Owners, is home to the iconic Gouldian Finches, Black-footed tree rats, and 400 year old wollybutt trees, and is beloved by 10's of thousands across Australia. Yet this special place is due to be destroyed by Defence Housing Australia in the coming weeks. 
We call on you to use your relevant powers to prevent this destruction.
The Darwin community, following a call to action by the Danggalaba and Kulumbirigin, Larrakia Traditional Owners,  is standing in solidarity to stop the bulldozing of Binybara (Lee Point), the last remaining biodiversity corridor in Darwin.  Since 3 July 2023, the Binybara camp has been standing in protest. The camp will remain until Binybara is saved. 
By halting the destruction, you would be following the advice of the foremost experts on the ecology of this area. Including Professor John Woinarski who warned that “if the Federal Government is to meet its goal of No New Extinctions it needs to protect all of the finches’ habitat at Lee Point .”
Dr Amanda Lilleyman has stated that, “Binybara (Lee Point) is of immense ecological significance to the Top End. It is an important habitat for fauna and flora alike, it is the last remaining biodiversity corridor in Darwin and clearing it would be an incalculable loss to biodiversity across the city”.
Allowing this clearing to happen is causing harm to people and Country. Last week, Mililma May, a young Danggalaba Kulumbirigin woman and CEO of Uprising of the People, was grabbed by two security guards and arrested on her own country while she was dancing to protect it. 
Intervening to prevent this destruction is a genuine opportunity to listen to and uplift the voices of Traditional Owners who are speaking out to protect their Country. On Thursday 7 July 2023, Lorraine Williams and Tibby Quoll, Danggalaba and Kulumbirigin elders filed an application for an emergency declaration under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act. It has been revealed that there is a registered sacred site within the vicinity of Binybara (Lee Point). 
As leaders who have a reputation for caring and supporting your community, saving Binybara is a genuine opportunity to take action in solidarity with First Nations People and the broader community who love and care for the iconic Aussie Bush.
Minister Plibersek we’re calling on you to step in to halt the desecration of Aboriginal cultural heritage.
Prime Minister Albanese we encourage you to consider your legacy as a leader of Australia. We are facing a climate and extinction crisis. A wave of hope has ricocheted through the Darwin community in the last week. 
The rest of Australia deserves to share in that experience. Saving Binybara is your opportunity, to support the tens of thousands of people across australia doing all that they can to Save Lee Point. 
Kind regards,