A presentation on the health impacts of fracking, scheduled to be held at the Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospitals in the Northern Territory, has been abruptly cancelled. The event, titled “Fracking and Health: First do no Harm”, was part of a series of presentations on health issues. The cancellation email stated that the event was cancelled “due to a concern/perception over possible bias”, but provided no further explanation.
The decision to cancel the presentation has sparked backlash from doctors and managers at the hospitals. A chain of emails between the medical professionals expressed concern and questioned the decision. They requested more information about why the event was cancelled.
Fracking in the Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory was given the green light by the government earlier this year, with commercial extraction set to begin. The cancellation of the presentation comes after this decision was made.
An organizer of the event stated that the session had been cancelled due to concerns over bias. They also mentioned plans to reschedule the presentation for later in the year.
The Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation NT president, Thomas Fowles, voiced support for the doctors’ right to hold scientific discussions. He stated that the union fiercely defends this right.
The office of NT Chief Minister and Health Minister Natasha Fyles denied any involvement in the decision to cancel the presentation.
It is uncertain why concerns about bias led to the cancellation of the event. The Northern Territory health department has been contacted for comment on the matter.