Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister McAllister, representing the Minister for the Environment and Water. Australia has committed to achieving net zero by 2050, but it has no 2035 climate target. We are not on track, due to our emissions, which have increased under this Labor government. Australia has been ravaged by floods, fire and extreme heat. At the same time, Australia is destroying irreplaceable tangible and intangible cultural heritage—all in the name of the bottom line for projects like Woodside's North West Shelf project. Labor has approved 30 new climate-wrecking coal and gas projects—30, in fact! There is an impending World Heritage application for Murujuga on the Burrup Peninsula. Why is this government speaking out of both sides of its mouth, protecting the environment whilst allowing emissions at the Woodside gas plant to accelerate and destroy the precious rock art at Murujuga?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cox, for a wide-ranging question, which in fact ranges across issues that are covered by Minister Bowen as well as by Minister Plibersek. I think you asked me that question in my capacity as the minister representing Minister Plibersek, and I'll do my best to provide answers to that extent and also provide anything I have that's relevant to the Minister Bowen's portfolio.

Perhaps we can start with the questions you put about proposals before the minister in relation to Murujuga. As I think your question implies, you're aware that there are decisions before Minister Plibersek at this time. It's not possible to comment on the specifics of those proposed projects prior to that decision being made, and it is not wise to do so. I note that Ms Plibersek is the legal decision-maker in relation to those, and she also is the legal decision-maker for a section 10 application that's been made under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act.

More generally, the government is strongly committed to protecting the Murujuga Cultural Landscape. You know, Senator, that it's a place of immense cultural and spiritual significance. It embodies thousands of years of continuous culture and practice, and the petroglyph collection there holds stories and traditions that span for more than 50,000 years. The government was proud to nominate the Murujuga Cultural Landscape for inclusion on the World Heritage list, in partnership with the Western Australian government and the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation. World Heritage listing can provide the highest global protection of this landscape, but it requires strong agreements in place to ensure the ongoing conservation of this precious place, and the Commonwealth provided $2 million to Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation to develop— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cox, first supplementary?

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This Labor government has signed on 29 February 2024 a statement of intent for Murujuga, and just last week released your own department's First Nations strategy. I want to acknowledge the traditional owners who are here today from Murujuga, from Ngurrangga, and to ask why the minister has not replied to them in the three years that that application for section 10 has been sitting on her desk. It was lodged by First Nations women begging the government to protect their cultural places. Why won't the minister answer?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cox, thank you for drawing my attention to visitors in the chamber. You are most welcome. It's very good to see you here today. I will seek any information that I can find from Minister Plibersek about the question you raise, Senator Cox. But I can say to you that the government is deeply aware of the significance of Murujuga to traditional owners and more generally to the Australian public, because, as I indicated in my answer to your primary question, this is a place with immense cultural and spiritual significance. It's why we're pursuing World Heritage listing. It's why we are partnering with the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation to develop a new management agreement with all levels of government and with industry that is operating in that area.

The government will continue to take these issues seriously and to deal with them in a sensible way. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cox, second supplementary?

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With gas prices and the cost of living going up particularly in Western Australia and 80 per cent of Woodside's gas going overseas for export—instead of for domestic use to help bring relief, particularly to Western Australians—will the Labor government listen to the traditional owners and other Australians who have asked the minister to reject the 50-year extension of Woodside's north-west shelf project? Will you break your state capture and protect the precious rock art that is there and surrounding ngura and its connection to the oldest continuing living culture in the world? The time to act is now.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I indicated in my answer to the primary question that I am not in a position to provide comment about specific matters that are before the minister at this point in time. She is the legal decision-maker. It is not wise or sensible to make comment about those decisions or the specifics of those decisions in advance of them.

I do make the point, Senator Cox, that this government is deeply committed to both climate action and addressing some of the unattended issues in relation to cultural heritage—policy areas that were both essentially ignored in the previous decade of coalition government. We have placed our climate change commitments in law. We have made a series of very important decisions in relation to protecting our natural environment, and we're determined to work with First Nations people to protect their cultural heritage also. (Time expired)