Six UN special Rapporteurs have written to the Australian government with serious concerns about the human rights and environmental impacts of Woodside’s Burrup Hub.
Murujuga traditional custodian Raelene Cooper yesterday released the UN correspondence, which was sent to the government in 2022 and highlights the damage Woodside’s project has caused to sacred Murujuga rock art and songlines.
The UN called on the government to ensure Woodside Energy, BHP and Perdaman comply with Australian as well as international environmental laws and human rights standards.
The Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia, known as Murujuga to traditional custodians, is a deeply sacred place that contains the largest, oldest collection of Aboriginal rock art in the world.
The area is currently nominated for UNESCO world heritage listing, while sacred song lines and rock art are being damaged by emissions from the Burrup Hub and, according to the UN correspondence, face total destruction within decades.
The UN's concerns have been echoed in an open letter delivered to the federal government which has been signed by ex-ALP leaders, Indigenous elders and scientists.
This comes as The Albanese Government is trying to rush through new laws to bypass environmental approval processes and undermine consultation requirements with First Peoples.
Section 790E the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Legislation Amendment (Safety and Other Measures) Bill 2024, currently before parliament seeks to bypass accreditation under the EPBC Act while threatening to undermine the government’s proposed new nature positive laws.
The full correspondence from the United Nations Special Rapporteurs to the Australian government is available here.
Quotes attributable to Lidia Thorpe, Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung independent Victorian Senator
“First Peoples have not ceded our Sovereignty, which includes our Sovereign rights to care for the lands, seas, waters and skies of this continent.
“The UN has made it clear that the government must stop supporting Woodside’s Burrup Hub and start genuinely sharing decision making with First Peoples.”
“And the bill they're trying to ram through violates the rights of First Peoples and undermines Australia’s international human rights obligations, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“The Albanese Government cares more about protecting their mates and big donors in the fossil fuel industry who are wrecking our planet than respecting the rights of First Peoples.
“Labor needs to stop gagging, intimidating and silencing First Peoples and respect our right to protect Country and to Free, Prior and Informed Consent.
Quotes attributable to Murujuga traditional custodian Raelene Cooper:
“The United Nations values my precious, sacred Country and wants to help protect it.”
“So why does the Albanese Labor government continue to railroad traditional custodians and bend over backwards to let industry destroy our sacred sites, our songlines and our environment without ever listening to our voice?”
“This legislation is another attempt to silence the voices of traditional custodians speaking out to protect our Country.”
“The violations and failures to consult documented by the UN happened after the government ignored us for years. The only option I had left was to test Woodside in the Federal Court and I received a verdict that gave a glimmer of hope that we would be finally listened to. Now, before that has even occurred, the government is moving to restore exactly the conditions the UN documented, which is to once again silence First Nations people.”