Latest news with #JosieAlec
West Australian
21 hours ago
- General
- West Australian
'Angry and devastated': Traditional custodians condemn North West Shelf expansion
Traditional custodians have expressed dismay over Environment Minister Murray Watt greenlighting Woodside Energy's extension of the North West Shelf gas project to 2070. Members of advocacy group Save Our Songlines gathered at Hearson Cove, near Ngajarli in Murujuga National Park, on Thursday May 29, home to some of the world's oldest known petroglyphs – dating back more than 40,000 years. 'We are here at this beautiful place along the Burrup, home to two-million petroglyphs and magnificent stories of creation that has been entrusted in my people for over many generations,' Kuruma Marthudunera woman Josie Alec said. 'The reason why we stand here is because we want to protect and preserve this incredible rock art. As Aboriginal people, we are obligated to protect this country and everything that it means to us.' Mardudhunera custodian Mark Clifton described the decision as 'devastating', and voiced support for his mother, Raelene Cooper, who has launched a legal bid in an attempt to halt the project. 'It's heart-breaking really, for the countrymen and for the people that live around here. With so much culture, it's unbelievable that they're letting this pass,' he said. Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation also released a statement on May 29 in relation to the UN looking to set back Australia's bid to add Murujuga rock art to the World Heritage List due to industrial pollution. 'It is clear from the ICOMOS report that the Murujuga Cultural Landscape should be on the World Heritage List and we are very proud of our nomination,' Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation chairperson Peter Hicks said. 'The evaluation report provides the pathway to finalising World Heritage Listing and while the referral adds another small step to our journey, it is a positive outcome and not a rejection. 'While it is disappointing, we are determined to finish our journey and see the Murujuga Cultural Landscape included on the World Heritage List as soon as possible.' Woodside welcomed the decision by the Federal Government and confirmed it had received the proposed conditions relating to cultural heritage and emissions management for the North West Shelf. The company said it was working through to 'understand their application'. 'This nationally significant infrastructure has supplied reliable and affordable energy to Western Australia for 40 years and will be able to continue its contribution to energy security,' Woodside executive Vice President Liz Westcott said. Mr Watt confirmed that the project approval includes proposed conditions focused on emissions and cultural heritage protection. While specific details have not been made public, Woodside now has 9 days to accept or respond to the conditions.
ABC News
29-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Indigenous groups vow to keep fighting extension of Woodside's North West Shelf
Traditional owners and environmentalists have pledged to continue fighting Woodside's massive North West Shelf (NWS) project by switching their focus to the development of the Browse Basin gas fields off WA's Kimberley coast. The groups have long argued Woodside's industrial developments pose a threat to the ancient rock art in the Murujuga National Park on the Burrup Peninsula. On Wednesday, the federal government approved the company's proposal to continue its NWS operation until 2070. Browse is one of the country's biggest untapped resource projects and is considered a crucial gas supply for the NWS. "See you in court," was the reaction from Raelene Cooper, a Mardudhunera woman who launched a legal bid last week in the federal court to prevent the extension. Ms Cooper's son, Mark Clifton, said the legal fight to protect Murujuga was far from over. "We're standing side by side together as we did the last time," he said. Murujuga custodian Josie Alec said it was a "disgrace" to think industry and culture could co-exist. "This is the battle of all battles," she said. She said there were legal challenges "in the wings" and traditional owners would look towards the outstanding approval for Woodside's Browse project to disrupt the future of the North West Shelf. "There's always hope," she said. "[Browse] is 900 kilometres of pipeline through a pristine seabed which also will feed into [the North West Shelf] "Without that gas, this processing facility can't go ahead." University of Western Australia emeritus law professor Alex Gardner said there was an arguable case to challenge the yet to be approved Browse project off the Kimberley coast. The decision to extend the license for the North West Shelf until 2070 is seen a vital stepping stone to the development of Browse, which is likely to be the mother of all environmental fights. Woodside plans to develop 50 production wells in the Browse basin off the Kimberley coast, which will be connected to the North West Shelf processing plant through a 900-kilometre pipeline. If approved, most of the gas from Browse will be exported overseas, which could provide an avenue to launch legal action. Professor Gardner said judicial authorities in Europe would take 'scope three' emissions — those emitted in the countries where the gas is exported — into account when assessing the viability of a new gas field. "Maybe that's the clue here," he said. The proximity of the Browse gas field to Scott Reef has alarmed environmental groups. The reef is home to endangered whales, turtles and thousands of corals. Greenpeace said it was "appalled" by the approval of the North West Shelf extension, vowing to campaign against the Browse project. "We don't have any faith that [Woodside] are a safe operator to be able to have a production this close and at this scale to a pristine reef," WA campaign lead Jeff Bice said. "We know now that we have to increase the pressure to make sure that Environment Minister [Murray] Watt doesn't then approve the Browse proposal. "That's the whole purpose that Woodside made this extension and it's a terrible, dirty, polluting project that puts endangered species at risk."
