The Federal Government will support the construction of a $4.5 billion urea fertiliser plant in Western Australia’s Burrup Peninsula, despite cultural concerns.
Citing its potential to damage First Nations rock art, some more than 40,000 years old, two Murujuga indigenous women lobbied the Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, to block the fertiliser project.
However, the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) – one of Burrup Peninsula’s five First Nations groups – approved of the project, and had made agreements with project owners on the appropriate treatment of local rock art.
The two women who sought to block construction of the urea plant belong to a group called Save our Songlines, who say their views are not represented by the MAC and its Circle of Elders.
After visiting the region, Ms Plibersek chose to side with the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, suggesting it was the “most representative organisation”, and allowing the project to proceed.
“Traditional Owners – like any group – can sometimes have different views,” Ms Plibersek said.
“I am satisfied, however, that the MAC are the legally constituted and democratically elected group that safeguards First Nations culture in the Burrup area.”
Ms Plibersek said she is still considering a separate application to bar construction under the Aboriginal heritage protection law.
In a statement responding to Ms Plibersek’s decision, Save our Songlines spokeswomen Raelene Cooper and Josie Alec cited the recent destruction of First Nations cultural sites by Rio Tinto in the Juukan Gorge.
“The community, the country and the whole world will be outraged if this leads to another Juukan Gorge because the Federal Government would not stand up to industry and protect sacred Aboriginal sites from further desecration,” Ms Cooper and Ms Alec said.
