Latest news with #MurujugaAboriginalCorporation
Sydney Morning Herald
7 hours ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
Murujuga traditional owner accuses UNESCO of silencing, intimidating her in Paris
A Murujuga traditional owner claims a UNESCO committee silenced and intimidated her delegation which was lobbying against the removal of industrial emissions protections in the rock art's World Heritage Listing. Raelene Cooper travelled to Paris with a small group from her Save Our Songlines group to persuade World Heritage Committee members to retain restrictions on industrial emissions near the Murujuga rock art contained in a draft decision considered at its meeting in Paris on Friday. Those conditions, which would apply to projects like Woodside's North West Shelf and Burrup Hub assets, were scratched from the final decision in an amendment moved by committee member Kenya, and supported by the majority of the committee. Cooper wrote to World Heritage Centre director Lazare Eloundou Assomo on Sunday to complain about the treatment of her group. She claimed UNESCO staff blocked her group from entering the chamber floor on the day of the Murujuga vote, ignored requests to address the committee, and assigned an intimidating level of security to the Save Our Songlines representatives. Loading Cooper was granted observer status and was able to lobby member countries on the floor of the committee meeting on Wednesday and Thursday last week, but said on the day of the vote her team was prevented from entering the chamber. The former Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation chair said representatives from the Australian government and current MAC members were still allowed on the chamber floor and to address the committee following the vote. 'Had I been able to address the committee regarding the Murujuga inscription, I would have been able to express my profound joy at the successful inscription, and my congratulation [sic] to every member of the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation on a momentous day for our people achieving such recognition,' Cooper said in her letter.
The Age
7 hours ago
- General
- The Age
Murujuga traditional owner accuses UNESCO of silencing, intimidating her in Paris
A Murujuga traditional owner claims a UNESCO committee silenced and intimidated her delegation which was lobbying against the removal of industrial emissions protections in the rock art's World Heritage Listing. Raelene Cooper travelled to Paris with a small group from her Save Our Songlines group to persuade World Heritage Committee members to retain restrictions on industrial emissions near the Murujuga rock art contained in a draft decision considered at its meeting in Paris on Friday. Those conditions, which would apply to projects like Woodside's North West Shelf and Burrup Hub assets, were scratched from the final decision in an amendment moved by committee member Kenya, and supported by the majority of the committee. Cooper wrote to World Heritage Centre director Lazare Eloundou Assomo on Sunday to complain about the treatment of her group. She claimed UNESCO staff blocked her group from entering the chamber floor on the day of the Murujuga vote, ignored requests to address the committee, and assigned an intimidating level of security to the Save Our Songlines representatives. Loading Cooper was granted observer status and was able to lobby member countries on the floor of the committee meeting on Wednesday and Thursday last week, but said on the day of the vote her team was prevented from entering the chamber. The former Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation chair said representatives from the Australian government and current MAC members were still allowed on the chamber floor and to address the committee following the vote. 'Had I been able to address the committee regarding the Murujuga inscription, I would have been able to express my profound joy at the successful inscription, and my congratulation [sic] to every member of the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation on a momentous day for our people achieving such recognition,' Cooper said in her letter.
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- General
- SBS Australia
Murujuga has been placed on the World Heritage list, but pollution concerns remain
More than a million pieces of ancient rock art have secured World Heritage status in a bittersweet listing for Traditional Custodians, scientists and environmentalists, who are fearful nearby industrial activity is damaging the engravings. The Murujuga rock art landscape on the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia was listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a heritage site late last week after intense lobbying by the federal government. Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt was accompanied to the UNESCO meeting in Paris by representatives from the Western Australian government and Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC). Murujuga contains the world's largest, densest and most diverse collection of petroglyphs, a type of rock art where the design is carved into the surface of the rock. Some are estimated to be more than 50,000 years old. They depict animals, plants and human figures and are visible due to the colour and contrast between the removed varnish layer and the underlying brighter weathered rind of the host rocks. The site was put forward to UNESCO for World Heritage listing in 2023, but the application was referred back in May over concerns nearby acid emissions, including those from Woodside's Burrup gas hub, were degrading the art. The peninsula in northwest WA near Karratha is home to two gas plants, a fertiliser plant and iron ore and salt export facilities. Senator Watt recently gave provisional approval for the Woodside North West Shelf project on the peninsula, which includes the Karratha gas plant, to continue operating until 2070. Custodians celebrate listing, while concerns remain over pollution Raelene Cooper, Murujuga custodian of the Mardudhunera people and founder of Save our Songlines, has been in Paris with other First Nations leaders pushing for Murujuga to be listed as a World Heritage site, but with the explicit intention of ensuring any listing comes with strict conditions to sufficiently manage industrial impacts on the site. 'My family and community have worked for many years for World Heritage protection for Murujuga's ancient rock art," she said. 'This is a momentous day for our old people and our future generations, to have Murujuga's outstanding universal heritage values recognised by the world. 'Our rock art tells the stories of our people, and maintains our Songlines and bloodline connection to our ngurra (Country)." Ms Cooper said while she was overjoyed about the World Heritage listing, she was deeply concerned about the pollution from surrounding heavy industry. Part of the government's lobbying efforts involved removing protections suggested by UNESCO's independent advisory body ICOMOS in May from the final approval. 'Fertiliser plants are still being built around our sacred sites and polluting gas plants will emit toxic acid on our rock art for another 50 years," she said. "But comments from World Heritage Committee members today send a clear signal to the Australian Government and Woodside that things need to change to prevent the ongoing desecration of Murujuga by polluting industry. "Global scrutiny will now be applied to what is happening at Murujuga. We will continue to fight for protection for this very special place, and the world is now aware of what we are up against.' Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, which represents the collective voice of the Ngarda-Ngarli (Traditional Owners and Custodians), said they were elated to see the Murujuga Cultural Landscape recognised. 'While today's inscription is recognition of the hard work that MAC has put in ... over the past two years, more importantly, it is recognition of the way our ancestors have managed this extraordinary landscape for over 50,000 years," said MAC Chair Peter Hicks. "World Heritage is the mechanism we will use to continue to do what we have always done: protect our culture for all future generations." But Ben Smith, Professor of Archaeology (World Rock Art), at the University of WA, said that unless pollution is drastically curbed, the rock art is at risk of serious degradation. "While I celebrate Murujuga receiving the well deserved status of being listed as a World Heritage site, the nature in which the Australian Government handled the scientific findings on industrial impacts on Murujuga during this process reveals the extent to which they will go to play down the impacts of our gas industry," he said. "The scientific data clearly demonstrated the advanced weathering of the Murujuga petroglyphs from heightened levels of certain airborne pollutants from the nearby Woodside gas processing facility, yet we saw this repeatedly dismissed by different levels of government, with graphs and data being manipulated to back up the narrative that no conditions were required for the listing. "One only hopes that Murujuga's listing as a World Heritage Site spurs the government to no longer shirk their responsibility to conserve and protect this globally significant rock art site, and we see proper measures put in place to stop the polluting gas industry from degrading our First Nations cultural heritage." Foundation of culture Ngarluma woman Samantha Walker wrote to the nominations unit at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the director of evaluation unit at ICOMOS, urging the WHC to list Murujuga as a world heritage site with specific recommendations to have independent bodies monitor and manage industrial pollution at Murujuga. "Murujuga is more than just rock art – it is who we are," she wrote. "Murujuga contains Songlines and stories that define our identities as First Nations people, connecting us to our Elders and people that have walked before us. "Murujuga is the foundation of our culture. "The health of Murujuga is the health of my people and the ngurra (Country) is crying out for help." Ms Walker said Murujuga is sacred, but also has a dark history due to colonisation and the Flying Foam Massacre of 1868. "That history of colonisation is being continued on by the way that government allows multi-billion-dollar industries to operate on Murujuga without having to obtain free, prior and informed consent or listen to the people whose Country this is," she said. Ms Walker also expressed her alarm at the Environment Minister's provisional approval to extend the lifetime of Woodside Energy's North West Shelf gas plant to 2070. "It is unfathomable to imagine the French Government approving industrial pollution at the site of the 17,000 plus year-old Lascaux cave paintings . "Why is there not more global outrage that Minister Watt and the Australian Government have given provisional approval for 40 more years of pollution that is damaging the 50,000 plus year-old Murujuga rock art on our Country?" Environmentalists were also concerned the Woodside project extension could cause further damage. 'The world is now watching," Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said. "The onus is on the Australian government to make sure the values recognised by UNESCO are not jeopardised by ongoing industrial pollution." As part of the immediate inscription, the Australian Government will provide a state of conservation report for consideration in 2027. Murujuga will become the second place in Australia recognised on the World Heritage List solely for its First Nations cultural heritage, following the listing of Budj Bim in 2019 . Senator Watt said it had been a great privilege to support the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Murujuga, who have protected the landscape for more than 50,000 years. 'The Australian Government is strongly committed to World Heritage and the protection of First Nations cultural heritage – and we will ensure this outstanding place is protected now and for future generations,' he said. A Woodside spokesperson said the company had been a "proud supporter" of the World Heritage nomination and assessment process and they looked forward to continuing to work closely with MAC on the continued protection and management of this globally significant area. UNESCO added several other sites to its list, including the Xixia Imperial Tombs in China and the Faya Palaeolandscape in the United Arab Emirates.
West Australian
2 days ago
- General
- West Australian
Murujuga World Heritage status won't derail North West Shelf project decision
Environment Minister Murray Watt says the addition of Murujuga rock art to the World Heritage list over the weekend won't affect his pending decision on the future of Woodside's nearby North West Shelf gas processing plant. UNESCO granted the World Heritage status overnight on Saturday after intense lobbying from the Commonwealth and WA governments, along with traditional owners from the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, to overturn a draft decision not to list the site. Senator Watt described the decision as a 'really special moment not only for traditional owners who have been working towards it for more than two decades, but for Australians more broadly.' However, the minister said the listing would not affect any development application decisions that had already happened or were underway. He gave preliminary approval in May to extend the life of the NWS plant out to 2068. The final decision is awaiting Woodside's response to conditions that are yet to be made public. 'When I made my proposed decision for the North West Shelf extension, I said that we would be applying strict conditions and preservation of the rock art was central to my decision when I made that a few weeks ago,' Senator Watt told ABC radio on Monday. 'But I guess this (World Heritage listing) is also a way of keeping future governments and future industry honest to make sure that it does have this extra layer of protection against any inappropriate development in the future, and that's a good thing.' Some environmental campaigners and the Save Our Songlines group led by Raelene Cooper had opposed the heritage listing, instead seeking to have UNESCO stick to a draft recommendation that called for all development on the Burrup Peninsula to cease and existing industrial activity to be dismantled to protect the rock art. Senator Watt said ultimately the committee was persuaded by WA research demonstrating the industrial activity in the area had not caused acid rain.
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- General
- The Advertiser
Fears heritage-listed rock art at risk from gas project
More than a million pieces of ancient rock art have secured World Heritage status in a bittersweet listing for environmentalists and traditional custodians fearful nearby industrial activity is damaging the engravings. The Murujuga rock art landscape in Western Australia was listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a heritage site on Friday after intense lobbying by the federal government. "Achieving World Heritage status ensures stronger protections under Australian legislation and will allow the world to celebrate this unique cultural landscape," Environment Minister Murray Watt said while visiting the organisation's headquarters in Paris. The federal environment minister was accompanied by representatives from the Western Australian government and Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation. Murujuga contains the world's largest, densest and most diverse collection of Indigenous rock art engravings - known as petroglyphs. Some are estimated to be more than 50,000 years old. They depict animals, plants and human figures and are visible due to the colour and contrast between the removed varnish layer and the underlying brighter weathered rind of the host rocks. The site was previously put forward to UNESCO for World Heritage listing in 2023 but Australia's application was referred back in May. UNESCO recommended state and federal governments address concerns that nearby acid emissions, including those from Woodside's Burrup gas hub, were degrading the art. The peninsula in northwest WA near Karratha is home to two gas plants, a fertiliser plant and iron ore and salt export facilities. Mardathoonera woman and Murujuga traditional custodian Raelene Cooper, who was at the UNESCO meeting, welcomed the World Heritage listing but criticised the removal of recommended protections, including halting industry expansion. "Today, Australia rewrote the World Heritage listing in the interests of the gas industry," she said. Environmentalists were also concerned the Woodside project extension could cause further damage. "The world is now watching," Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said. "The onus is on the Australian government to make sure the values recognised by UNESCO are not jeopardised by ongoing industrial pollution." WA Greens Fossil Fuels spokesperson Sophie McNeill called on the state and federal governments to reverse the draft approval for the North West Shelf extension. "It's absolutely disgraceful that Labor put in so much effort to get those protections removed," she told AAP. Australia has 21 properties on the World Heritage list, which includes the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and the Great Barrier Reef. UNESCO added several other sites to its list, including the Xixia Imperial Tombs in China and the Faya Palaeolandscape in the United Arab Emirates. More than a million pieces of ancient rock art have secured World Heritage status in a bittersweet listing for environmentalists and traditional custodians fearful nearby industrial activity is damaging the engravings. The Murujuga rock art landscape in Western Australia was listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a heritage site on Friday after intense lobbying by the federal government. "Achieving World Heritage status ensures stronger protections under Australian legislation and will allow the world to celebrate this unique cultural landscape," Environment Minister Murray Watt said while visiting the organisation's headquarters in Paris. The federal environment minister was accompanied by representatives from the Western Australian government and Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation. Murujuga contains the world's largest, densest and most diverse collection of Indigenous rock art engravings - known as petroglyphs. Some are estimated to be more than 50,000 years old. They depict animals, plants and human figures and are visible due to the colour and contrast between the removed varnish layer and the underlying brighter weathered rind of the host rocks. The site was previously put forward to UNESCO for World Heritage listing in 2023 but Australia's application was referred back in May. UNESCO recommended state and federal governments address concerns that nearby acid emissions, including those from Woodside's Burrup gas hub, were degrading the art. The peninsula in northwest WA near Karratha is home to two gas plants, a fertiliser plant and iron ore and salt export facilities. Mardathoonera woman and Murujuga traditional custodian Raelene Cooper, who was at the UNESCO meeting, welcomed the World Heritage listing but criticised the removal of recommended protections, including halting industry expansion. "Today, Australia rewrote the World Heritage listing in the interests of the gas industry," she said. Environmentalists were also concerned the Woodside project extension could cause further damage. "The world is now watching," Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said. "The onus is on the Australian government to make sure the values recognised by UNESCO are not jeopardised by ongoing industrial pollution." WA Greens Fossil Fuels spokesperson Sophie McNeill called on the state and federal governments to reverse the draft approval for the North West Shelf extension. "It's absolutely disgraceful that Labor put in so much effort to get those protections removed," she told AAP. Australia has 21 properties on the World Heritage list, which includes the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and the Great Barrier Reef. UNESCO added several other sites to its list, including the Xixia Imperial Tombs in China and the Faya Palaeolandscape in the United Arab Emirates. More than a million pieces of ancient rock art have secured World Heritage status in a bittersweet listing for environmentalists and traditional custodians fearful nearby industrial activity is damaging the engravings. The Murujuga rock art landscape in Western Australia was listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a heritage site on Friday after intense lobbying by the federal government. "Achieving World Heritage status ensures stronger protections under Australian legislation and will allow the world to celebrate this unique cultural landscape," Environment Minister Murray Watt said while visiting the organisation's headquarters in Paris. The federal environment minister was accompanied by representatives from the Western Australian government and Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation. Murujuga contains the world's largest, densest and most diverse collection of Indigenous rock art engravings - known as petroglyphs. Some are estimated to be more than 50,000 years old. They depict animals, plants and human figures and are visible due to the colour and contrast between the removed varnish layer and the underlying brighter weathered rind of the host rocks. The site was previously put forward to UNESCO for World Heritage listing in 2023 but Australia's application was referred back in May. UNESCO recommended state and federal governments address concerns that nearby acid emissions, including those from Woodside's Burrup gas hub, were degrading the art. The peninsula in northwest WA near Karratha is home to two gas plants, a fertiliser plant and iron ore and salt export facilities. Mardathoonera woman and Murujuga traditional custodian Raelene Cooper, who was at the UNESCO meeting, welcomed the World Heritage listing but criticised the removal of recommended protections, including halting industry expansion. "Today, Australia rewrote the World Heritage listing in the interests of the gas industry," she said. Environmentalists were also concerned the Woodside project extension could cause further damage. "The world is now watching," Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said. "The onus is on the Australian government to make sure the values recognised by UNESCO are not jeopardised by ongoing industrial pollution." WA Greens Fossil Fuels spokesperson Sophie McNeill called on the state and federal governments to reverse the draft approval for the North West Shelf extension. "It's absolutely disgraceful that Labor put in so much effort to get those protections removed," she told AAP. Australia has 21 properties on the World Heritage list, which includes the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and the Great Barrier Reef. UNESCO added several other sites to its list, including the Xixia Imperial Tombs in China and the Faya Palaeolandscape in the United Arab Emirates. More than a million pieces of ancient rock art have secured World Heritage status in a bittersweet listing for environmentalists and traditional custodians fearful nearby industrial activity is damaging the engravings. The Murujuga rock art landscape in Western Australia was listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a heritage site on Friday after intense lobbying by the federal government. "Achieving World Heritage status ensures stronger protections under Australian legislation and will allow the world to celebrate this unique cultural landscape," Environment Minister Murray Watt said while visiting the organisation's headquarters in Paris. The federal environment minister was accompanied by representatives from the Western Australian government and Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation. Murujuga contains the world's largest, densest and most diverse collection of Indigenous rock art engravings - known as petroglyphs. Some are estimated to be more than 50,000 years old. They depict animals, plants and human figures and are visible due to the colour and contrast between the removed varnish layer and the underlying brighter weathered rind of the host rocks. The site was previously put forward to UNESCO for World Heritage listing in 2023 but Australia's application was referred back in May. UNESCO recommended state and federal governments address concerns that nearby acid emissions, including those from Woodside's Burrup gas hub, were degrading the art. The peninsula in northwest WA near Karratha is home to two gas plants, a fertiliser plant and iron ore and salt export facilities. Mardathoonera woman and Murujuga traditional custodian Raelene Cooper, who was at the UNESCO meeting, welcomed the World Heritage listing but criticised the removal of recommended protections, including halting industry expansion. "Today, Australia rewrote the World Heritage listing in the interests of the gas industry," she said. Environmentalists were also concerned the Woodside project extension could cause further damage. "The world is now watching," Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said. "The onus is on the Australian government to make sure the values recognised by UNESCO are not jeopardised by ongoing industrial pollution." WA Greens Fossil Fuels spokesperson Sophie McNeill called on the state and federal governments to reverse the draft approval for the North West Shelf extension. "It's absolutely disgraceful that Labor put in so much effort to get those protections removed," she told AAP. Australia has 21 properties on the World Heritage list, which includes the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and the Great Barrier Reef. UNESCO added several other sites to its list, including the Xixia Imperial Tombs in China and the Faya Palaeolandscape in the United Arab Emirates.
