❓ A parliamentary question regarding the impact of Woodside's Karratha gas plant emissions on Murujuga rock art and its World Heritage status bid. The Minister acknowledges receipt of the ICOMOS report and highlights discrepancies between its findings and the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program.
AnsweredQoN 270Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Murujuga rock art—Monitoring program
270. Hon Sophie McNeill to the Minister for the
Environment:
I refer to media
reports on the International Council on Monuments and Sites' (ICOMOS) report
for the World Heritage Committee, Evaluations of
Nominations of Cultural and Mixed Properties .
(1) When did the minister first receive this
report?
(2) Has the government considered the information
contained in this report, specifically on page 57 that:
(a) Woodside Energy Ltd's Karratha gas plant is
the single most significant source of acidic emissions; and
(b) these emissions would have significant
degrading impact on the integrity of the petroglyphs; and
(c) if this development is not stopped, the rock
art would no longer meet the requirements for World Heritage status?
270. Hon Sophie McNeill to the Minister for the
Environment:
I refer to media
reports on the International Council on Monuments and Sites' (ICOMOS) report
for the World Heritage Committee, Evaluations of
Nominations of Cultural and Mixed Properties .
(1) When did the minister first receive this
report?
(2) Has the government considered the information
contained in this report, specifically on page 57 that:
(a) Woodside Energy Ltd's Karratha gas plant is
the single most significant source of acidic emissions; and
(b) these emissions would have significant
degrading impact on the integrity of the petroglyphs; and
(c) if this development is not stopped, the rock
art would no longer meet the requirements for World Heritage status?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for some notice of the question.
(1) On Saturday 24 May 2025.
(2) The government is considering the information
in the report. It should be noted that the information contained in the report
on page 57 is from an undisclosed third party source, not ICOMOS, and is not
consistent with the findings of the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program, which
found that the acid rain/deposition theory proposed by earlier researchers was
not supported by the data of the program. Page 57 of the ICOMOS report also
refers to relying on information in media articles found by ICOMOS. The
government remains fully committed to protecting Murujuga's cultural landscape
along with securing its recognition as a World Heritage site and will continue
to work with the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation and the Commonwealth in its
bid for a World Heritage listing, while also supporting jobs and economic
opportunity in the region.
for some notice of the question.
(1) On Saturday 24 May 2025.
(2) The government is considering the information
in the report. It should be noted that the information contained in the report
on page 57 is from an undisclosed third party source, not ICOMOS, and is not
consistent with the findings of the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program, which
found that the acid rain/deposition theory proposed by earlier researchers was
not supported by the data of the program. Page 57 of the ICOMOS report also
refers to relying on information in media articles found by ICOMOS. The
government remains fully committed to protecting Murujuga's cultural landscape
along with securing its recognition as a World Heritage site and will continue
to work with the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation and the Commonwealth in its
bid for a World Heritage listing, while also supporting jobs and economic
opportunity in the region.
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