The Northern Land Council has reaffirmed its solidarity with the Mirarr Traditional Owners in their opposition to the development of a uranium mine on their sacred Country.

The Council said on Friday that "recent media reports" pushing for the development of the Jabiluka uranium prospect near Kakadu National Park are "alarming and misleading".

The NLC said Traditional Owners "staunchly oppose" uranium mining on Mirarr Country.

"We call on both the Territory and Federal governments to hear the voices of the Traditional Owners and to put an end to the uncertainty," the Council said in a joint statement.

The Land Council said the Jabiluka mineral lease extension application sought by Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) must be rejected and the area given heritage protection, noting that Mirarr Traditional Owners assert that Jabiluka is sacred Country and that they will always say no to uranium mining.

The NLC said recent history demonstrates the risks uranium mining pose to the environment are too great, and that mining puts the area, encircled by a National Park of global significance, in "grave jeopardy".

The Council noted that despite ERA pursuing an extension to 2034, the Northern Territory government has committed to a two-year temporary reservation order over the Jabiluka mineral lease. Coming into effect on August 11, the order limits what ERA can do with its current lease until its extension application is resolved, however, the NLC said it is imperative that the Territory government and the Federal Minister for Resources "be decisive", as "speculation by minority interests misguides ERA's shareholders and the Australian public".

NLC chair Matthew Ryan said the Council "stands firmly behind the Mirarr Traditional Owners in their fight to protect Jabiluka".

"The cultural and environmental significance of this sacred Country cannot be overstated, and any mining is a direct threat to both," he said.

"We call on the Territory and Federal governments to listen to the voices of the Traditional Owners and take immediate action to ensure the permanent protection of Jabiluka and Kakadu. The world is watching, and this land must be preserved for all future generations."

The NLC and Mirarr Traditional Owners refute claims "recently publicised by NT News and Sky News" that Jabiluka, as an underground mine, would be less ecologically damaging than "the disaster that is the adjacent open-cut Ranger mine" – operated by ERA until its closure in 2021.

The Land Council said Ranger's contamination of nearby water sources continues to cause long-lasting damage to the surrounding ecosystems and remains a painful reminder of the environmental risks posed by uranium mining, and noted that the rehabilitation of Ranger "is in no way complete", with "meager, under-funded efforts" having been unsuccessful over the past three years.

"Traditional Owners oppose mining Jabiluka and will continue to rally to protect their Country," the NLC said.

The controversy surrounding uranium mining in the area is long-running. In 1998, more than five thousand people assembled in Kakadu to join a blockade, ultimately leading to a commitment from Rio Tinto (currently a majority owner of ERA) that the Jabiluka mine would not proceed without Traditional Owner consent.

"In 2024, there is still no consent," the NLC said on Friday. "The promises need to be honoured and governments need to listen."