Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Eggleston, a senator who comes from the north of Western Australia—a part of Western Australia that contributes phenomenally to Australia’s economic success and, because of the exports of liquefied natural gas from the North West Shelf, contributes substantially to the production of the world’s greater energy needs but does so with substantially lower greenhouse gas emissions. It should be recorded and well known in this place that when exports of natural gas from the North West Shelf substitute for coal or oil in the Northern Hemisphere, China, Japan, Korea or North America—where we are hoping to export to soon—that gas will replace some 25 megatons of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Replacing coal or oil with natural gas gives a 50, 60 and, sometimes, 70 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. To put that in context, Australia produces around 550 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions; this industry in the North West Shelf over 20 years, for example, would replace all of Australia’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. Ensuring we have a healthy investment environment for expanding the natural gas exports from the Burrup Peninsula is phenomenally important for the global environment.

I have been progressing the consideration of a heritage nomination for the rock art on the Burrup Peninsula in the Dampier Archipelago over recent months and I have made it quite clear that the government will not do a heritage listing that in any way constrains the expansion of that important natural gas industry in the Burrup. Yes, when it expands it does disturb rock art—it does—but let’s put this in perspective as well. The rock art on the Burrup Peninsula in the Dampier Archipelago stretches over 27,000 hectares—about the size of the city of Perth—and it includes no less than roughly a million pieces of rock art, and Woodside are looking at disturbing 165 pieces. That is less than 0.02 of one per cent of the art on the peninsula. We want to have an approach that protects the economic development of Australia—that is, 80,000 direct and indirect jobs; $10 billion a year in export revenue—but also includes protection for the rock art.

Senator Eggleston asked about alternative approaches. Within 24 hours of Kevin Rudd taking over the leadership of the Labor Party, we have from the Australian Labor Party an emergency heritage listing nomination for the Burrup Peninsula. That is, a heritage protection measure from Dr Carmen Lawrence—from Mr Rudd’s Labor Party; from a senior member of Rudd Labor—wanting to close down the expansion of Woodside’s project, to threaten the exports of natural gas from north-west Western Australia.

I want to see a reform to Australia’s heritage laws go through this parliament this week which will enable the heritage process to be changed. I have the support of the Carpenter Labor government in this. I call on Kevin Rudd to call Carmen Lawrence into line and say that he supports our natural gas exports, supports the contribution Australia can make to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and supports a sensible approach to heritage listing—a win, win, win for Australia. It is time that Rudd’s Labor called Carmen Lawrence in and said, ‘Withdraw this heritage nomination immediately.’ It is an absolute scandal and it is the first test for Mr Rudd on his first day as Leader of the Opposition.