❓ A WA parliamentary question scrutinising the environmental and cultural heritage impact assessments related to the North West Shelf extension and associated gas developments, particularly concerning Indigenous rights and Commonwealth oversight. Many questions were deferred to the Commonwealth Minister.
AnsweredQoN 1836Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) As part of the assessment of the cultural heritage impacts of the North West Shelf extension, will the Commonwealth consider whether free, prior and informed consent and other relevant principles of the United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Rights and Interests of Indigenous peoples have been met by the proponent? (2) if no to (1), why not? (3) if yes to (1), how will these principles be considered in the assessment process and what criterial will be applied? (4) can the Minister provide an overview of the cultural heritage impacts that are in scope of the current assessment of the North West Shelf extension? (5) in relation to (4), does this include cultural heritage impacts of the gas field developments that are required to supply the North West Shelf into the future, for the life of the development? (6) if no to (4), and (5), why not? (7) if yes to (4), and (5), what gas fields or reserves are being considered as part of this assessment? (8) does the Government consider that impacts to cultural heritage in the Kimberley as a result of development of the onshore Canning Basin to supply the North West Shelf facility are relevant considerations for assessment? (9) if no to (8), why not? (10) what conditions for the protection of cultural heritage currently apply to the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) approval for the Pluto LNG facility? (11) does the Commonwealth agree with the recent advice of the State EPA, that the state cultural heritage conditions for the Pluto LNG facility are inadequate? (12) if no to (11), why not? (13) will the Commonwealth review the conditions on the Pluto LNG facility under the EPBC Act to ensure that cultural heritage impacts from the project are acceptable? (14) if no to (13), why not? (15) are the cultural heritage impacts of processing Scarborough gas at the Pluto LNG facility and using Scarborough gas at the Perdaman ammonia facility considered relevant indirect consequences within the scope of the the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) assessment of the Scarborough offshore gas development according to the EPBC indirect consequences policy and NOPSEMA’s environment regulations? (16) if no to (15), why not? (17) if yes to (14), when will they be assessed by NOPSEMA?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
27 February 2024
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment
Response time
2 days
(1-3) This matter relates to the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Water’s consideration of the project.
(4) The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has assessed the environmental impacts associated with the North West Shelf Project Extension proposal. In its assessment report number 1727 the EPA recommended conditions to address Aboriginal cultural heritage sites and cultural values to apply throughout the life of the extension proposal.
(5-7) The development of gas fields was not part of the North West Shelf Project Extension proposal and therefore was not assessed by the EPA in its assessment of that proposal.
(8-9) Any proposal for the development of a gas field that is likely, if implemented, to have a significant impact effect on the environment will need to be referred to the EPA for consideration of its environmental impacts.
(10-17) This matter relates to the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Water’s consideration of the project.
(4) The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has assessed the environmental impacts associated with the North West Shelf Project Extension proposal. In its assessment report number 1727 the EPA recommended conditions to address Aboriginal cultural heritage sites and cultural values to apply throughout the life of the extension proposal.
(5-7) The development of gas fields was not part of the North West Shelf Project Extension proposal and therefore was not assessed by the EPA in its assessment of that proposal.
(8-9) Any proposal for the development of a gas field that is likely, if implemented, to have a significant impact effect on the environment will need to be referred to the EPA for consideration of its environmental impacts.
(10-17) This matter relates to the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Water’s consideration of the project.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.