TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS AWAIT ANNOUNCEMENT ON MURUJUGA HERITAGE INVESTIGATION

BY GERARD MAZZA

Tootsie Daniel and Robyn Churnside. Credit: Gerard Mazza.

Pilbara Traditional Custodians continue to wait for the Federal Environment Minister to respond to an investigation into threats to Aboriginal cultural heritage at Murujuga, the Burrup Peninsula.

Murujuga is home to a collection of over one million petroglyphs, some of which are more than 40,000 years old. The area is currently being considered by UNSECO for World Heritage Listing.

Thousands of petroglyphs have previously been destroyed to make way for industrial developments such as Woodside’s gas facilities which have operated in the area since the 1980s.

Some scientists are concerned that industrial emissions are causing ongoing degradation of the Murujuga rock art.

Rock art at Murujuga, the Burrup Peninsula. Credit: Supplied.

The investigation came about because of an application in June 2022 by Traditional Custodians Raelene Cooper and Josie Alec under Section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act.

A special reporter, former public servant Alison Stone, sought public submissions in 2022 and submitted a report to Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek in 2023.

Ms Plibersek is required by law to consider the report and put in place any necessary protections for cultural heritage, but the Minister is yet to make an announcement.

Ngarluma Elder Robyn Churnside and Yindjibarndi Elder Tootsie Daniel both made submissions into the investigation in 2022.

Ms Churnside said there were still mining companies wanting to develop on Murujuga country.

“Ngarluma history and heritage is not extinguishable and won’t be extinct like the dinosaurs,” she said.

Mrs Daniel said it was important for the views of Traditional Custodians to be considered by the Minister.

“Our knowledge on that ngurra, on that country, is very, very important,” she said.

Ms Churnside and Mrs Daniel both said they are awaiting the Minister’s response to their submissions.

“Unfortunately [Ms Plibersek] has failed us, us Traditional Owners in Western Australia,” Ms Churnside said.

“Tanya, what are you trying to do?” asked Mrs Daniel. “Come to see us. Don’t go back to the Parliament. Come see us. We are the TOs.”

Section 10 applicant Raelene Cooper told a Senate Estimates committee earlier this month the report had been on Plibersek’s desk for almost a year.

“I want to know why the Minister will not release her decision on my Section 10 application,” she said. “Is it because it clashes with the government’s insistence that they are already preserving and protecting the outstanding world heritage value of Murujuga and its extraordinary rock art? Today I repeat my demand that there must be a moratorium on all new developments on the Burrup until the independent investigation by the Section 10 reporter and the World Heritage nomination process is complete.”

Ngaarda Media contacted the Minister’s office to ask where the Section 10 process was up to.

Ms Plibersek’s office passed the enquiry on to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water.

“It is not appropriate to comment on an active application,” a department spokesperson said.

“The proposed recommendations from the Section 10 report of the independent reporter will be circulated to affected parties on a confidential basis in the lead up to the Minister making a decision.

“There are no statutory timeframes regarding ATSIHPA processes or decisions, however, this case is a priority for the Minister.”