Latest news with #Perdaman
Perth Now
a day ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Court battle to protect ancient rock art heats up
The time it has taken for the federal environment minister to consider an application to protect Indigenous rock art has "grossly exceeded" what is reasonable, a court has been told. Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper submitted an application under Section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act in February 2022, in a bid to protect her Country in Western Australia's Pilbara region. The area, known as the Burrup Peninsula, or Murujuga, contains some of the world's oldest and largest petroglyphs. Ms Cooper has long opposed Woodside's North West Shelf extension, and other industrial developments in the area, fearing for the future of this unique collection of rock art. In May, Ms Cooper launched action in the Federal Court to compel Environment Minister Murray Watt to consider her Section 10 application. The action came a week before Mr Watt granted interim approval of the North West Shelf extension until 2070, which was met with opposition from environmental groups and Traditional Owners. On Wednesday, lawyers for Ms Cooper told the Federal Court in Sydney there has still not been a decision made on Ms Cooper's application, more than three years after it was first lodged. "It is plain, almost beyond argument that three-and-half years grossly exceeds a reasonable for the making of that decision," they said. Ms Cooper's lawyers said a report prepared for then-federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was met with a period of "outwardly facing inactivity". While the report found there was no conclusive evidence that industrial emissions were harming the ancient petroglyphs at Murujuga, it did make a number of recommendations to protect Indigenous heritage in the area. One of the recommendations was fertiliser developer Perdaman should drop plans for a causeway across the site of its urea plant in the area. Ms Cooper's lawyers said while the environment minister had this report, the Western Australian government had given the green light for the construction of this causeway and construction was underway. "At a bare minimum ... it was unreasonable not to have made a decision for so long that the very thing that was presenting a threat, identified quite clearly by the reporter, was able to occur and largely be completed," they said. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
The Advertiser
a day ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Court battle to protect ancient rock art heats up
The time it has taken for the federal environment minister to consider an application to protect Indigenous rock art has "grossly exceeded" what is reasonable, a court has been told. Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper submitted an application under Section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act in February 2022, in a bid to protect her Country in Western Australia's Pilbara region. The area, known as the Burrup Peninsula, or Murujuga, contains some of the world's oldest and largest petroglyphs. Ms Cooper has long opposed Woodside's North West Shelf extension, and other industrial developments in the area, fearing for the future of this unique collection of rock art. In May, Ms Cooper launched action in the Federal Court to compel Environment Minister Murray Watt to consider her Section 10 application. The action came a week before Mr Watt granted interim approval of the North West Shelf extension until 2070, which was met with opposition from environmental groups and Traditional Owners. On Wednesday, lawyers for Ms Cooper told the Federal Court in Sydney there has still not been a decision made on Ms Cooper's application, more than three years after it was first lodged. "It is plain, almost beyond argument that three-and-half years grossly exceeds a reasonable for the making of that decision," they said. Ms Cooper's lawyers said a report prepared for then-federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was met with a period of "outwardly facing inactivity". While the report found there was no conclusive evidence that industrial emissions were harming the ancient petroglyphs at Murujuga, it did make a number of recommendations to protect Indigenous heritage in the area. One of the recommendations was fertiliser developer Perdaman should drop plans for a causeway across the site of its urea plant in the area. Ms Cooper's lawyers said while the environment minister had this report, the Western Australian government had given the green light for the construction of this causeway and construction was underway. "At a bare minimum ... it was unreasonable not to have made a decision for so long that the very thing that was presenting a threat, identified quite clearly by the reporter, was able to occur and largely be completed," they said. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 The time it has taken for the federal environment minister to consider an application to protect Indigenous rock art has "grossly exceeded" what is reasonable, a court has been told. Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper submitted an application under Section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act in February 2022, in a bid to protect her Country in Western Australia's Pilbara region. The area, known as the Burrup Peninsula, or Murujuga, contains some of the world's oldest and largest petroglyphs. Ms Cooper has long opposed Woodside's North West Shelf extension, and other industrial developments in the area, fearing for the future of this unique collection of rock art. In May, Ms Cooper launched action in the Federal Court to compel Environment Minister Murray Watt to consider her Section 10 application. The action came a week before Mr Watt granted interim approval of the North West Shelf extension until 2070, which was met with opposition from environmental groups and Traditional Owners. On Wednesday, lawyers for Ms Cooper told the Federal Court in Sydney there has still not been a decision made on Ms Cooper's application, more than three years after it was first lodged. "It is plain, almost beyond argument that three-and-half years grossly exceeds a reasonable for the making of that decision," they said. Ms Cooper's lawyers said a report prepared for then-federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was met with a period of "outwardly facing inactivity". While the report found there was no conclusive evidence that industrial emissions were harming the ancient petroglyphs at Murujuga, it did make a number of recommendations to protect Indigenous heritage in the area. One of the recommendations was fertiliser developer Perdaman should drop plans for a causeway across the site of its urea plant in the area. Ms Cooper's lawyers said while the environment minister had this report, the Western Australian government had given the green light for the construction of this causeway and construction was underway. "At a bare minimum ... it was unreasonable not to have made a decision for so long that the very thing that was presenting a threat, identified quite clearly by the reporter, was able to occur and largely be completed," they said. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 The time it has taken for the federal environment minister to consider an application to protect Indigenous rock art has "grossly exceeded" what is reasonable, a court has been told. Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper submitted an application under Section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act in February 2022, in a bid to protect her Country in Western Australia's Pilbara region. The area, known as the Burrup Peninsula, or Murujuga, contains some of the world's oldest and largest petroglyphs. Ms Cooper has long opposed Woodside's North West Shelf extension, and other industrial developments in the area, fearing for the future of this unique collection of rock art. In May, Ms Cooper launched action in the Federal Court to compel Environment Minister Murray Watt to consider her Section 10 application. The action came a week before Mr Watt granted interim approval of the North West Shelf extension until 2070, which was met with opposition from environmental groups and Traditional Owners. On Wednesday, lawyers for Ms Cooper told the Federal Court in Sydney there has still not been a decision made on Ms Cooper's application, more than three years after it was first lodged. "It is plain, almost beyond argument that three-and-half years grossly exceeds a reasonable for the making of that decision," they said. Ms Cooper's lawyers said a report prepared for then-federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was met with a period of "outwardly facing inactivity". While the report found there was no conclusive evidence that industrial emissions were harming the ancient petroglyphs at Murujuga, it did make a number of recommendations to protect Indigenous heritage in the area. One of the recommendations was fertiliser developer Perdaman should drop plans for a causeway across the site of its urea plant in the area. Ms Cooper's lawyers said while the environment minister had this report, the Western Australian government had given the green light for the construction of this causeway and construction was underway. "At a bare minimum ... it was unreasonable not to have made a decision for so long that the very thing that was presenting a threat, identified quite clearly by the reporter, was able to occur and largely be completed," they said. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 The time it has taken for the federal environment minister to consider an application to protect Indigenous rock art has "grossly exceeded" what is reasonable, a court has been told. Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper submitted an application under Section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act in February 2022, in a bid to protect her Country in Western Australia's Pilbara region. The area, known as the Burrup Peninsula, or Murujuga, contains some of the world's oldest and largest petroglyphs. Ms Cooper has long opposed Woodside's North West Shelf extension, and other industrial developments in the area, fearing for the future of this unique collection of rock art. In May, Ms Cooper launched action in the Federal Court to compel Environment Minister Murray Watt to consider her Section 10 application. The action came a week before Mr Watt granted interim approval of the North West Shelf extension until 2070, which was met with opposition from environmental groups and Traditional Owners. On Wednesday, lawyers for Ms Cooper told the Federal Court in Sydney there has still not been a decision made on Ms Cooper's application, more than three years after it was first lodged. "It is plain, almost beyond argument that three-and-half years grossly exceeds a reasonable for the making of that decision," they said. Ms Cooper's lawyers said a report prepared for then-federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was met with a period of "outwardly facing inactivity". While the report found there was no conclusive evidence that industrial emissions were harming the ancient petroglyphs at Murujuga, it did make a number of recommendations to protect Indigenous heritage in the area. One of the recommendations was fertiliser developer Perdaman should drop plans for a causeway across the site of its urea plant in the area. Ms Cooper's lawyers said while the environment minister had this report, the Western Australian government had given the green light for the construction of this causeway and construction was underway. "At a bare minimum ... it was unreasonable not to have made a decision for so long that the very thing that was presenting a threat, identified quite clearly by the reporter, was able to occur and largely be completed," they said. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
West Australian
06-06-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Unlocking Pilbara housing possibilities a 'clear priority' for Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas after tour
Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas has taken aim at the State Government during a regional tour to the Pilbara, declaring housing is 'clearly not something they're doing well'. Mr Zempilas wrapped up the tour on Friday June 6 in Exmouth, after stopping in at Port Hedland and Karratha to meet with local businesses and industry. 'Housing is obviously something the State Government are not succeeding at now,' he said. 'One of the important reasons to travel to the regions and come out to experience the issues for local people first-hand is to get a sense of what the government are doing well and what they're not doing well, and housing is clearly something they're not doing well throughout Western Australia.' The Opposition Leader also cited Premier Roger Cook's announcement to build 100 homes for Perdaman workers in Karratha, saying it's 'barely going to touch the sides, and is only for workers'. 'To be able to grow the City of Karratha, for example, then we're going to need to be able to grow the population of the city, but you can't grow the population if there's nowhere for people to live,' he said. 'Housing is a huge priority for the entire Pilbara region, so finding ways to unlock the potential of the Pilbara by unlocking possibilities with housing seems to be a very clear priority, and it's certainly one for us to take back and give strong consideration to.' Housing and Works Minister John Carey said the State Government made significant commitments to boost regional housing, noting Government Regional Officer Housing, funding regional headworks through the Infrastructure Development Fund and delivering a Regional Housing Support fund to further support key worker construction. 'In coming years, we'll see even more economic growth in the Pilbara,' he said. 'This will include further expansion into clean energy, critical minerals, tourism and advanced manufacturing. 'These growth industries will require more local workforces and more housing. 'The Opposition remains devoid of any policies for regional WA, including housing in the Pilbara. 'In fact, the Opposition regularly campaign against residential development and have promised to increase planning system red tape.' Mr Zempilas said key issues such as healthcare in the Pilbara were also linked to housing. 'You can't get professionals up here if they don't have anywhere to live,' he said. 'It's very clear, that this has been, or still is, the most expensive city in Australia to live. 'Weekly rents are in the vicinity of $1200-$1300 per week, that's not affordable in many places. 'I appreciate there's a complexity to life in Karratha, there seems to be two speeds to the economy — those that are working in the resources industry and doing very well and able to manage or justify that sort of rental expense, but there are clearly many who are on the minimum wage, or even below the minimum wage, and that affordability is not in their realm.'
