KEY POINTS:
- Woodside’s chief exceutive says the mining large backs the Voice.
- However Meg O’Neill will not decide to following the physique’s recommendation.
- She admitted the corporate had moved culturally-significant rock artwork.
The pinnacle of one among Australia’s greatest mining giants says she helps the Voice to Parliament, however will not decide to following its recommendation.
Chatting with the Nationwide Press Membership on Wednesday, Woodside chief government Meg O’Neill acknowledged the corporate moved culturally-significant Indigenous rock artwork in WA throughout the Eighties, however claimed it was finished “in a means that was culturally delicate on the time”.
Advocates have decried the reason as “deeply offensive” and are demanding Ms O’Neill assure 50,000-year outdated rock artwork on the Burrup peninsula, positioned in sight of a serious Woodside operation, will not be eliminated for the corporate to increase.
Surroundings Minister Tanya Plibersek final 12 months authorised a fertiliser firm’s plans to construct a plant within the space, which would require the elimination of rock artwork at three websites. The plan had been paused after outcry from conventional House owners.
Rock artwork on the historic Burrup web site in Western Australia. Supply: SBS Information / NITV
Woodside chief will not decide to following Voice recommendation
Ms O’Neill insisted Woodside loved a “very robust working relationship” with native Indigenous representatives, and “allowed” conventional custodians to go to the realm.
However after declaring Woodside’s assist for the Voice – labelling it “an essential step ahead in reconciliation” – Ms O’Neill refused to ensure the mining large would comply with its recommendation if it known as for operations on the web site to be curtailed.
“The Voice is a technique for folks to speak to Parliament. I feel there’s most likely room to determine, or room to work out, how the Voice engages with particular corporations round particular actions,” she mentioned.
The earlier than and after of Juukan Gorge following a authorized mining blast carried out by Rio Tinto in Western Australia’s Pilbara area in 2020. Supply: Equipped / NITV
Rio Tinto sparked outcry in 2020 by destroying sacred websites relationship again 46,000 years within the Juukan Gorge, because it cleared the best way for mining enlargement.
Ms O’Neill claimed Woodside had been on a “journey” because it first started working within the Pillbara, however did acknowledge the corporate eliminated rock artwork when it arrived on the Burrup peninsula within the Eighties.
“We did it in a means that was culturally delicate on the time however, within the gentle of hindsight, it isn’t one thing we’d repeat,” she mentioned.
A report commissioned by Woodside in 2002 reportedly discovered that included many rocks being broken by fireplace, others lacking, and among the most vital paintings turned face down into dust.
Ms O’Neill burdened a brand new fuel venture within the the realm – dubbed Pluto Prepare 2 – is not going to contain the elimination of rock artwork.
Conventional House owners angered by feedback
Save Our Songline spokesperson Raelene Cooper, a Mardudhunera lady, mentioned Woodside had continued to destroy and take away rock artwork regardless of “clear” recommendation from archaeologists and specialists on their cultural significance.
Whereas Ms Cooper burdened the importance of Ms O’Neill’s admission, which she mentioned was the primary time the corporate had publicly admitted the removals, she demanded the chief assure it could not be repeated sooner or later.
“For Meg O’Neill to explain the destruction of our sacred rock artwork with bulldozers as culturally acceptable on the time fairly frankly beggars perception and is deeply offensive,” she mentioned.
“How can she say it was culturally acceptable? Who did Woodside ask for permission, and who gave them cultural authority? The place was the session course of? That is our sacred cultural heritage that Woodside bulldozed into the ocean.”