LIDIA THORPE CALLS FOR CONCERN AND A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AS MAC CHAIR ALSO FOUNDER OF A MINING COMPANY

BY ASAD KHAN

There have been calls for concern over conflict of interest growing in Burrup, a rural area in north-western Western Australia. Peter Hicks, founder of Hicks Civil and Mining, chairs the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, which is responsible for safeguarding cultural heritage and Rock Art. 

Mr Hicks’ company was awarded a contract for haulage work on the Pluto gas plant expansion by Bachtel, a subcontractor for the $16.5 billion Scarborough LNG project operated by Woodside Energy Group Ltd.

Senator Lidia Thorpe also recently raised concerns about this conflict of interest in the Parliament.

“Recent WA TODAY reporting exposed potential conflicts of interest of the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation board chair relating to emission impacts on Murujuga rock art due to his connections with Mining and resource companies,” she said.

Traditional Custodian and MAC’s former Chairperson Raelene Cooper said it is a vile conflict of interest.

“As far as I'm concerned, it is a conflict of interest, as a Murujuga person who sits as a chairperson who makes those relevant sound decisions on behalf of the membership, that he has two companies,”

In a written response to the allegations, MAC CEO Kim Wood defended the Chairperson.

He said Mr Hicks has no direct contractual relationship with Woodside Energy Group and that his family subcontracts haulage to a Woodside Pluto Train 2 contractor.