❓ Hon. Tim Clifford questions the Minister for Creative Industries regarding Woodside Petroleum's sponsorship of the WA Museum, focusing on the amount, allocation, and specific projects funded, particularly in marine science, given Woodside's impact on marine ecosystems.
AnsweredQoN 590Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Museum—Woodside Petroleum sponsorship590.Hon Tim Cliffordto
the minister representing the Minister for Creative Industries:I refer to the
recent news stories indicating that Woodside Petroleum will be sponsoring the Western
Australian Museum for five years and the effect of fossil fuel emissions on
marine ecosystems that the Museum investigates and educates us about.(1) How much money is Woodside contributing to the
Museum and how much is the government contributing for the same time period by
way of comparison?(2) Is the sponsorship earmarked for particular
fields of inquiry; and, if so, what are those fields specifically?(3) If the main field is marine science, what
projects are to be sponsored specifically?(4) If this sponsorship is earmarked, how much
money is earmarked for each project?
the minister representing the Minister for Creative Industries:I refer to the
recent news stories indicating that Woodside Petroleum will be sponsoring the Western
Australian Museum for five years and the effect of fossil fuel emissions on
marine ecosystems that the Museum investigates and educates us about.(1) How much money is Woodside contributing to the
Museum and how much is the government contributing for the same time period by
way of comparison?(2) Is the sponsorship earmarked for particular
fields of inquiry; and, if so, what are those fields specifically?(3) If the main field is marine science, what
projects are to be sponsored specifically?(4) If this sponsorship is earmarked, how much
money is earmarked for each project?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 August 2025
Response time
0 days
Hon Jackie Jarvis replied:I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following response has
been provided by the Minister for Creative Industries.(1) Woodside is contributing $5 million over a
five-year period through the Foundation for the WA Museum. Government
appropriation to the Museum, including all its operations across six public
sites, education outreach, regulation, collections, care and research, will be
$200 million or circa $40 million per year.(2) Yes. Sponsorship is earmarked predominantly
for marine biological research. The fields are marine biological research, palaeontological
research into past marine environments, consultation and engagement with
traditional owner groups and education and outreach programs to promote
knowledge and conservation of marine environments.(3)–(4) The program will evolve over the
life of the program. However, the anticipated fields of inquiry are aquatic
zoology, describing the marine biodiversity of Exmouth Gulf, with an emphasis
on new species discovery, and palaeontology, describing fossil sharks, marine
reptiles, ancient marine food webs of ancient marine sea beds along the
Gascoyne coast. The exact scope and cost of each research project may be
augmented with funding from other sources such as research grants.
Museum—Woodside Petroleum sponsorship
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following response has
been provided by the Minister for Creative Industries.(1) Woodside is contributing $5 million over a
five-year period through the Foundation for the WA Museum. Government
appropriation to the Museum, including all its operations across six public
sites, education outreach, regulation, collections, care and research, will be
$200 million or circa $40 million per year.(2) Yes. Sponsorship is earmarked predominantly
for marine biological research. The fields are marine biological research, palaeontological
research into past marine environments, consultation and engagement with
traditional owner groups and education and outreach programs to promote
knowledge and conservation of marine environments.(3)–(4) The program will evolve over the
life of the program. However, the anticipated fields of inquiry are aquatic
zoology, describing the marine biodiversity of Exmouth Gulf, with an emphasis
on new species discovery, and palaeontology, describing fossil sharks, marine
reptiles, ancient marine food webs of ancient marine sea beds along the
Gascoyne coast. The exact scope and cost of each research project may be
augmented with funding from other sources such as research grants.
Museum—Woodside Petroleum sponsorship
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