“Juukan was a massive wake-up call. Not just within Australia, but the outcry was from around the world and I think that was very much listened to,” she said.
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“It has moved the dial substantially in Australia about the importance of Aboriginal cultural heritage. That is all our heritage and it is the oldest in the world.”
Burney said the proliferation of rock art in the peninsula was astounding.
“The actual term that you hear from First Nations people that the land is talking to me is absolutely felt there,” she said.
“It’s a living breathing thing when it comes to First Nations people and that’s the importance of heritage.”
The project was subject to assessment by both the WA and Commonwealth governments and has a cultural management plan endorsed by the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation.
Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Peter Jeffries said on Tuesday the organisation had no role in providing support or approval of the project with the development located in an area zoned for industry uses.
“It was ultimately determined that a number of sites could not be avoided by the proposed development and it was the strong preference of the Circle of Elders that if the development were to go ahead, then these sites should be relocated to an area outside of the development footprint,” he said.
“MAC’s only role is to provide advice and recommendations regarding any heritage or cultural values that may be impacted by the proposed works.
“Perdaman have consulted extensively with MAC and the Circle of Elders throughout the planning process for the construction of the urea plant at Murujuga.
“Every effort was made to avoid impact to any archaeological sites and cultural values present within the industry zoned lease areas.”
Perdaman and Plibersek were contacted for comment.
The Burrup is the most industrialised area in WA’s north and is home to Rio Tinto’s iron ore port, Woodside’s North West Shelf and Pluto LNG plants, and ammonia and explosive plants run by Norwegian company Yara.
Alec and Cooper will also lodge an appeal on Thursday against a 50-year extension to the North West Shelf project that was recommended by the WA Environmental Protection Authority earlier this month.
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About 4.3 billion tonnes of carbon would be emitted over the extended life of the facility, which is already Australia’s most polluting project.
So far 426 appeals have been lodged with the WA appeals convenor against the EPA recommendations with the time for applications set to close today.
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