TWO WORLDS COLLIDE: INDUSTRY AND WORLD HERITAGE LISTING

BY ELIZA KLOSER

The beautiful and culturally significant landscape of Murujuga, the Burrup Peninsula has been officially nominated to become a World Heritage listed site.

Federal and state Ministers, the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC), The MAC Circle of Elders and members of the community announced and celebrated the submission on Friday.

MAC led the preparation for Murujuga to be nominated and the CEO of MAC Peter Jeffries spoke at the celebration about the long road to get here and what he hopes to achieve with the submission.

“For more than two decades, the Ngarda-Ngarli (Murujuga language groups) have aspired for World Heritage listing of Murujuga and for our traditional knowledge and lore to be at the centre of decision-making, governance and management of this land and sea country,” he said.

It was a day of celebration with State Environment Minister Reece Whitby saying the area should be protected by a World Heritage listing.

Traditional Aboriginal belief is that the rock art is the work of creation spirit-beings known as Marrga, who during the Dreaming times, formulated the rules of social conduct for human beings to follow.

The Marrga left the rock art behind as permanent visual reminders of how the Law should be followed and they are places of continuing spiritual power.

“Let’s not underestimate the value, the cultural significance on an international scale of what we have here in Karratha on the Burrup Peninsula,” Minister Whitby said.

“We are working together [with Traditional Custodians] to preserve and protect this special environment for future generations.”

Federal Minister for Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek announced $2 million funding for MAC to work on the cooperative management plan for the area.

The federal and state governments have also been strongly supportive of the development of the Perdaman urea plant on the Burrup Peninsula.

The Italian construction giant Webuild, which has recently acquired the construction contract for the Perdaman project, says the Western Australian Government has given it a ‘state significant project status.’

Ngarluma Traditional Owner and cultural leader Patrick Churnside said that it’s hypocritical of the government to support both industrial development and World Heritage nomination.

“I think it’s hypocritical, to be honest,” he said. “I believe industry cannot exist in significant heritage cultural places.”

“Places like the Sistine Chapel … for example, they wouldn’t dare to say that industry can exist on a site like this, so why would they even consider to say it can exist in such a place like [Murujuga]?”

Anthropologist and co-founder of Friends of Australian Rock Art Dr. Stephen Bennetts said that the UNESCO World Heritage Committee may object to further industrial development in considering the application.

“I don’t think the UNESCO committee is going to look very favourably on it,” he said.

“I think it’s going to make it quite difficult to get the nomination across the line if the government is continuing with its plans for new industry and extension of the existing industry, including Woodside’s Pluto projects and Karratha gasworks right out to 2070.”

MAC and Ministers at Ngarjili

When both Ministers were asked about the industry’s effect on the Murujuga rock art, both said there was no scientific evidence that the industry was having any impact.

“There isn’t evidence of any harm at the moment, but the reason we are engaging and supporting extensive monitoring is so we can be absolutely clear on that,” Minister Plibersek said.

Ms Plibersek said that the government had worked hard to make sure that the air quality was of safe standards.

“Of course, the science will guide all of our decision-making,” she said.

“Local people, including Rangers, are being trained to do the air quality monitoring.

“It is a great example of how environmental protection creates local jobs.”

Dr. Bennetts indicated that the scientific evidence is clear and that the government might struggle to conceal this.

“It’s going to be very difficult to hide the scientific evidence that the massive acid rain being generated is in fact destroying the rock art, and there are areas close to the Woodside facility where the acid levels got up 1000 times [higher than] since pre industry in the 1970s,” Dr Bennetts said.

For Murujuga to be approved as a World Heritage listing the government would need to show the site will be protected.

Dr Bennetts says the Australian government is already under a watchful eye from UNESCO because of their management of other World Heritage sites.

“The UNESCO World Heritage Committee hasn’t been very happy at all with the Australian government’s maintenance and cares for the Great Barrier reef and south-west Tasmania,” he said.

Tanya Plibersek speaking with Yindjibarndi elder Tootsie Daniel.