Yesterday, the Federal Government announced a $255 million loan to enable facilities in support of the Perdaman urea plant proposal – a private development led by a multinational company and primarily for exporting fertiliser to overseas markets. The plant will use fossil fuel gas from the Scarborough gas field, currently proposed by Woodside Petroleum.
The project still faces a raft of further approvals from government, but opponents fear that this most recent announcement is a further step towards its completion.
The announcement has sparked outrage from Traditional Owners on the Burrup Peninsula – known as Murujuga – which is already facing significant destruction of the 40,000 year-old rock art through pollution, acid gas and acid rain from heavy industry in the area.
Murujuga is widely regarded as one of Australia’s most significant and important cultural sites, being the origin of the many ‘songlines’ which span the continent, from west to east. The many thousands of individual petroglyphs have been described as ‘the world’s oldest and largest art gallery’ and are shortlisted for UNESCO world heritage protection.
It is feared that the pollution from the new Perdaman plant will greatly accelerate the degradation of the rock surface, ultimately destroying the rock art for good.
Concerns have also been raised about the destruction of highly sacred cultural sites which Perdaman argues is necessary to facilitate the building of the plant.
Yesterday’s announcement sparked an angry response from Kuruma Marduthunera custodian, Josie Alec, who argued the views of Traditional Owners and Elders have been given little to no consideration.
“This is corruption at its best. It is outrageous to put a urea facility right on top of the world’s oldest rock art,” Ms Alec said.
“Perdaman wants to move sacred sites to build this and Elders have said no. This is absolutely disgusting. Our rock art, our plants, our animals and our health are at risk because of air pollution on the Burrup, and Perdaman want to make it worse.
“This is money and greed over culture.”
Raelene Cooper, Mardudhunera Traditional Owner and a Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation board member, said: “As a Mardudhunera person, I don’t want this project on my Country,” Ms Cooper said.
“The government should not be supporting this multibillion-dollar company in causing damage to my cultural heritage. If Murujuga is deserving of world heritage listing, why would anyone want to put more industry there?”
Patrick Churnside, an Ngarluma custodian, said: “I heard old people here and there talk about Milyanggurru. It means ‘connection’.
“As cultural people belonging to the land, it’s our Ngarda government system of connecting to one another – to our Galharra, our ceremonies, our Country, our stories, our Marni (rock art), our Songlines,” Mr Churnside said.
“These are all the things given to us, not the money, greed and individualism that drive the companies and industries that are here now and the people behind these decisions.
“It would be good to hear openly and transparently what our decision makers are talking about and who they are talking to.”
Maggie Wood, the Executive Director of CCWA said the announcement was ‘deeply troubling’ and urged the Federal Government to reconsider the move.
“This project is facilitating the destruction of globally significant cultural heritage, obscene levels of pollution and is one of the major pillars propping up Woodside’s highly controversial Scarborough gas project,” Ms Wood said.
“The Perdaman urea plant has been fiercely opposed by First Nations people in the area and conservationists across Western Australia.
“For the federal government to use taxpayers’ money to be enable a private, highly polluting and profit-making enterprise shows how detached they are from the opinions of everyday people in WA.
“Regardless of your stance; regardless of whether you believe this facility is needed or not, the simple fact is this: there is only one Murujuga. There will never be another and once the rock art is gone, it is gone for good.
“Pollution from heavy industry on the Burrup is actively degrading globally significant Aboriginal heritage. That is an irrefutable fact and this proposal will only make the situation worse.
“The Federal Government should consider whether it really has its priorities in order when the interests of a private, profit-making enterprise take precedence over the preservation of fragile cultural heritage.
“There was much talk of ‘lessons learned’ in the wake of the Jukan Gorge scandal. The Federal Government should match its words with action.”
