2025-07-09
As UNESCO delegates meet in Paris this week to consider Murujuga’s World Heritage bid, the Australian Greens call on Environment Minister Murray Watt to immediately rescind the draft approval for Woodside’s gas hub to give Murujuga the best chance of World Heritage Listing.
Lines attributable to Leader of the Australian Greens and First Nations spokesperson, Larissa Waters:
“The Greens stand with Raelene Cooper and Save Our Songlines for the protection of rock art exemplifying tens of thousands of years of culture.
“We want to see this global treasure listed as World Heritage. What we don’t want is to see it destroyed by acidic emissions from Woodside.
“To give Murujuga’s ancient rock art the best chance of World Heritage listing, Minister Watt should cancel the draft approval for Woodside’s 45 year extension on operating its gas proposal.
“UNESCO has already warned that Woodside’s gas plant is threatening the longevity of the rock art. Whether the draft approval conditions give any assurance about this is a mystery given they remain secret.
“It’s outrageous that the conditions of the draft approval remain secret while Woodside negotiates them with the Minister, at the same time as UNESCO considering the fate of the rock art.
“At the very least, the draft conditions should be revealed to UNESCO, though it is hard to see how any conditions could make a 45 year extension of a gas plant with acidic emissions compatible with preserving ancient rock art.
“Minister Watt’s capitulation to the fossil fuel industry risks sacrificing the world’s oldest art gallery for another 45 years of Woodside profits, and these secret draft conditions can only be a fig leaf for gas profiteering.
“Minister Watt is now engaged in a lobbying exercise to dupe other nations when he should have simply rejected Woodside’s climate bomb extension in the first place.
“It’s not too late for Minster Watt to cancel the draft approval in order to give Murujuga its best shot at World Heritage listing, and protect the climate from this carbon bomb.