A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses concerns about the selection of Pluto site B for a Woodside Energy project, focusing on the availability of alternative sites, potential government influence, and the protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage. The Minister's response defends the decision and highlights protective measures.

AnsweredQoN 661Legislative Council
Asked
29 August 2007
Portfolio
Indigenous Affairs

QuestionView source ↗

WOODSIDE ENERGY LTD - PLUTO SITE B
I refer to the statement made in The West Australian on 28 February 2007 where Mrs Roberts said that there were no economically viable alternate sites to Pluto site B. (1) What documentation was available to the minister to enable her to make this statement? (2) Will the minister table any advice or documentation that supports this assertion? (3) Is the minister aware that Woodside’s chief executive officer, Mr Don Voelte, stated at the Woodside annual general meeting on 19 April 2007 that the government had instructed Woodside to use the site B location as opposed to the preferred option of site E on the Burrup? (4) Will the minister now engage with Woodside’s CEO to attempt to resolve this matter and protect the cultural heritage under her control? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) As part of the application by Woodside Energy Ltd under section 18(2) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 for consent to use Pluto site B, Woodside Energy Ltd submitted a document identifying its efforts to identify alternate locations and provided justification as to why, out of the 12 sites considered, site B was the most viable location for the project. (2) No. Consistent with section 56 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, the documents will not be tabled to retain confidentiality. (3) No. (4) Stringent conditions have been attached to the consent of the project to protect and preserve Aboriginal heritage sites. The Department of Indigenous Affairs liaises with Woodside Energy Ltd and is monitoring condition compliance.
(1) What documentation was available to the minister to enable her to make this statement? (2) Will the minister table any advice or documentation that supports this assertion? (3) Is the minister aware that Woodside’s chief executive officer, Mr Don Voelte, stated at the Woodside annual general meeting on 19 April 2007 that the government had instructed Woodside to use the site B location as opposed to the preferred option of site E on the Burrup? (4) Will the minister now engage with Woodside’s CEO to attempt to resolve this matter and protect the cultural heritage under her control? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) As part of the application by Woodside Energy Ltd under section 18(2) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 for consent to use Pluto site B, Woodside Energy Ltd submitted a document identifying its efforts to identify alternate locations and provided justification as to why, out of the 12 sites considered, site B was the most viable location for the project. (2) No. Consistent with section 56 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, the documents will not be tabled to retain confidentiality. (3) No. (4) Stringent conditions have been attached to the consent of the project to protect and preserve Aboriginal heritage sites. The Department of Indigenous Affairs liaises with Woodside Energy Ltd and is monitoring condition compliance.
(2) Will the minister table any advice or documentation that supports this assertion? (3) Is the minister aware that Woodside’s chief executive officer, Mr Don Voelte, stated at the Woodside annual general meeting on 19 April 2007 that the government had instructed Woodside to use the site B location as opposed to the preferred option of site E on the Burrup? (4) Will the minister now engage with Woodside’s CEO to attempt to resolve this matter and protect the cultural heritage under her control? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) As part of the application by Woodside Energy Ltd under section 18(2) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 for consent to use Pluto site B, Woodside Energy Ltd submitted a document identifying its efforts to identify alternate locations and provided justification as to why, out of the 12 sites considered, site B was the most viable location for the project. (2) No. Consistent with section 56 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, the documents will not be tabled to retain confidentiality. (3) No. (4) Stringent conditions have been attached to the consent of the project to protect and preserve Aboriginal heritage sites. The Department of Indigenous Affairs liaises with Woodside Energy Ltd and is monitoring condition compliance.
(3) Is the minister aware that Woodside’s chief executive officer, Mr Don Voelte, stated at the Woodside annual general meeting on 19 April 2007 that the government had instructed Woodside to use the site B location as opposed to the preferred option of site E on the Burrup? (4) Will the minister now engage with Woodside’s CEO to attempt to resolve this matter and protect the cultural heritage under her control? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) As part of the application by Woodside Energy Ltd under section 18(2) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 for consent to use Pluto site B, Woodside Energy Ltd submitted a document identifying its efforts to identify alternate locations and provided justification as to why, out of the 12 sites considered, site B was the most viable location for the project. (2) No. Consistent with section 56 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, the documents will not be tabled to retain confidentiality. (3) No. (4) Stringent conditions have been attached to the consent of the project to protect and preserve Aboriginal heritage sites. The Department of Indigenous Affairs liaises with Woodside Energy Ltd and is monitoring condition compliance.
(4) Will the minister now engage with Woodside’s CEO to attempt to resolve this matter and protect the cultural heritage under her control? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) As part of the application by Woodside Energy Ltd under section 18(2) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 for consent to use Pluto site B, Woodside Energy Ltd submitted a document identifying its efforts to identify alternate locations and provided justification as to why, out of the 12 sites considered, site B was the most viable location for the project. (2) No. Consistent with section 56 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, the documents will not be tabled to retain confidentiality. (3) No. (4) Stringent conditions have been attached to the consent of the project to protect and preserve Aboriginal heritage sites. The Department of Indigenous Affairs liaises with Woodside Energy Ltd and is monitoring condition compliance.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) As part of the application by Woodside Energy Ltd under section 18(2) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 for consent to use Pluto site B, Woodside Energy Ltd submitted a document identifying its efforts to identify alternate locations and provided justification as to why, out of the 12 sites considered, site B was the most viable location for the project. (2) No. Consistent with section 56 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, the documents will not be tabled to retain confidentiality. (3) No. (4) Stringent conditions have been attached to the consent of the project to protect and preserve Aboriginal heritage sites. The Department of Indigenous Affairs liaises with Woodside Energy Ltd and is monitoring condition compliance.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) As part of the application by Woodside Energy Ltd under section 18(2) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 for consent to use Pluto site B, Woodside Energy Ltd submitted a document identifying its efforts to identify alternate locations and provided justification as to why, out of the 12 sites considered, site B was the most viable location for the project. (2) No. Consistent with section 56 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, the documents will not be tabled to retain confidentiality. (3) No. (4) Stringent conditions have been attached to the consent of the project to protect and preserve Aboriginal heritage sites. The Department of Indigenous Affairs liaises with Woodside Energy Ltd and is monitoring condition compliance.
(1) As part of the application by Woodside Energy Ltd under section 18(2) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 for consent to use Pluto site B, Woodside Energy Ltd submitted a document identifying its efforts to identify alternate locations and provided justification as to why, out of the 12 sites considered, site B was the most viable location for the project. (2) No. Consistent with section 56 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, the documents will not be tabled to retain confidentiality. (3) No. (4) Stringent conditions have been attached to the consent of the project to protect and preserve Aboriginal heritage sites. The Department of Indigenous Affairs liaises with Woodside Energy Ltd and is monitoring condition compliance.
(2) No. Consistent with section 56 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, the documents will not be tabled to retain confidentiality. (3) No. (4) Stringent conditions have been attached to the consent of the project to protect and preserve Aboriginal heritage sites. The Department of Indigenous Affairs liaises with Woodside Energy Ltd and is monitoring condition compliance.
(3) No. (4) Stringent conditions have been attached to the consent of the project to protect and preserve Aboriginal heritage sites. The Department of Indigenous Affairs liaises with Woodside Energy Ltd and is monitoring condition compliance.
(4) Stringent conditions have been attached to the consent of the project to protect and preserve Aboriginal heritage sites. The Department of Indigenous Affairs liaises with Woodside Energy Ltd and is monitoring condition compliance.

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