❓ Question on Notice regarding Woodside's works at James Price Point and potential damage to Aboriginal sites. DIA provided advice, later withdrew some due to lack of legislative basis for stop-work orders.
AnsweredQoN 5942Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With regard to Woodside's ongoing works at James Price Point, I ask —
(1) Did the Department of Indigenous Affairs (DIA) provide advice to Woodside Energy Ltd in July and August 2011 that there was a strong possibility that its works was damaging or would damage an Aboriginal site or possible Aboriginal site, in breach of section 17 of the
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972
?
(2) If yes to (1), on how many occasions in July and August did this occur?
(3) Is this site or possible site numbered DIA 30274?
(4) Did DIA recommend to Woodside that it cease all works in the area of the site or possible site until the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee had determined its status?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) Has DIA provided this advice to Woodside Energy Ltd on any other occasion?
(7) Did DIA offer to assist Woodside Energy Ltd to avoid these damaging impacts?
(8) Did Woodside Energy Ltd accept the offer of assistance?
(9) Has DIA withdrawn its advice to Woodside Energy Ltd?
(10) If yes to (9) —
(a) when and why; and
(b) at whose direction?
(11) Has DIA or the Minister taken any further action since August 2011 to ensure that the site or possible site is not damaged contrary to the
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972
?
(12) If yes to (11), what action has been taken?
(13) If no to (11), why not?
(1) Did the Department of Indigenous Affairs (DIA) provide advice to Woodside Energy Ltd in July and August 2011 that there was a strong possibility that its works was damaging or would damage an Aboriginal site or possible Aboriginal site, in breach of section 17 of the
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972
?
(2) If yes to (1), on how many occasions in July and August did this occur?
(3) Is this site or possible site numbered DIA 30274?
(4) Did DIA recommend to Woodside that it cease all works in the area of the site or possible site until the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee had determined its status?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) Has DIA provided this advice to Woodside Energy Ltd on any other occasion?
(7) Did DIA offer to assist Woodside Energy Ltd to avoid these damaging impacts?
(8) Did Woodside Energy Ltd accept the offer of assistance?
(9) Has DIA withdrawn its advice to Woodside Energy Ltd?
(10) If yes to (9) —
(a) when and why; and
(b) at whose direction?
(11) Has DIA or the Minister taken any further action since August 2011 to ensure that the site or possible site is not damaged contrary to the
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972
?
(12) If yes to (11), what action has been taken?
(13) If no to (11), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 September 2012
Responded by
Minister for Indigenous Affairs
Response time
20 days
(1) Yes.
(2) Four occasions.
(3) DIA 30274 is the ID number given to potential site information lodged with the Department of Indigenous Affairs (DIA).
(4) Yes.
(5) Not applicable.
(6) DIA officers are in regular contact with Woodside Energy Ltd (Woodside) employees to assist the company in meeting its obligations under the
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972
(AHA).
(7) See answer 6.
(8) See answer 6.
(9) DIA has withdrawn some of its advice to Woodside.
(10) (a) 25 July 2011. The advice that the company cease works immediately was unauthorised and provided without any legislative basis. That is, the AHA does not provide for stop work orders. The map provided by DIA to Woodside as part of its advice represented a land area of some 713km2 and depicted an area possibly containing Aboriginal sites. This map offered no practical assistance to the company in assessing and managing its risks.
(10) (b) Deputy Director General - Operations of DIA.
(11) See answer 6.
(12) See answer 6.
(13) Not applicable.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
(2) Four occasions.
(3) DIA 30274 is the ID number given to potential site information lodged with the Department of Indigenous Affairs (DIA).
(4) Yes.
(5) Not applicable.
(6) DIA officers are in regular contact with Woodside Energy Ltd (Woodside) employees to assist the company in meeting its obligations under the
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972
(AHA).
(7) See answer 6.
(8) See answer 6.
(9) DIA has withdrawn some of its advice to Woodside.
(10) (a) 25 July 2011. The advice that the company cease works immediately was unauthorised and provided without any legislative basis. That is, the AHA does not provide for stop work orders. The map provided by DIA to Woodside as part of its advice represented a land area of some 713km2 and depicted an area possibly containing Aboriginal sites. This map offered no practical assistance to the company in assessing and managing its risks.
(10) (b) Deputy Director General - Operations of DIA.
(11) See answer 6.
(12) See answer 6.
(13) Not applicable.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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.