Latest news with #RaeleneCooper
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Activists launch an 11th hour legal bid to stop a massive gas project from going ahead in Australia
A controversial gas project faces another hurdle, as environmental activists launch an 11th-hour bid to overturn a state government approval. Friends of Australian Rock Art are challenging the Western Australian government's environmental approval to extend the life of Woodside Energy's massive North West Shelf venture. The Supreme Court action against the WA government and Woodside will argue the state did not consider the impact of climate change that would result from the project, including its effect on Indigenous rock art in the area. 'Woodside's proposed North West Shelf extension is one of the most polluting fossil fuel projects in the world, and will have severe consequences both for the Murujuga rock art and for the environment of Western Australia as a whole,' the group's spokeswoman, Judith Hugo, said on Tuesday. Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt gave provisional approval to push out the life of the project from 2030 to 2070 in May, following WA's approval in December. Woodside is currently considering the strict federal conditions on cultural heritage and air quality, which Senator Watt said would ensure the 60,000-year-old Murujuga Indigenous rock art was not destroyed. A final decision has not been made. The activists say their case in the WA court could impact the Commonwealth approval, which relies on the state assessment in order to satisfy federal laws. Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper previously launched legal action against the Commonwealth in a bid to compel it to consider a heritage application to protect rock art, with the Federal Court to hear the case in mid-July. Woodside's project is based on the Burrup peninsula in northwest WA, an area known as Murujuga. It is nominated for UNESCO World Heritage listing as it contains the world's largest collection of Aboriginal rock art. The company said it was aware of the rock art group's case. 'We have confidence in the robustness of the state government's comprehensive approval process,' a spokesman said.
Sky News AU
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Legal challenge against Woodside extension expected
The federal government is expected to face a legal challenge on the approval of Woodside Energy's North West Shelf gas plant extension. Environmental and Indigenous activists say the gas plant threatens the erosion of rock art in the area. Labor has agreed to give "Save Our Songlines" founder Raelene Cooper at least three days' notice before formal approval of the project. The commitment will give the traditional custodians an opportunity to file an injunction against the decision.
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Indigenous and climate advocates team up to take on global energy company and protect rock art
A bid to compel the government to consider a heritage application to protect Indigenous rock art is going to court as three environmental activists declare they 'successfully hoaxed' Woodside. The preliminary hearing follows Environment Minister Murray Watt's interim approval of Woodside's North West Shelf extension until 2070, a controversial gas project in Western Australia. The call has flared tensions, with environmental and Indigenous groups arguing it will slow efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and have a ruinous effect on nearby ancient petroglyphs. Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper said she was thrilled the case against the newly appointed environment minister was moving forward without further delays. 'It's rude to have someone waiting for such a long time,' the Save our Songlines co-founder said outside the Federal Court in Sydney. The court determined Ms Cooper's case would be heard in the week of July 14. Senator Watt attached heritage and air quality conditions to the approval and those are yet to be formally agreed to by the Australian energy giant. Ms Cooper said the North West Shelf and other industrial developments at Woodside's Burrup Hub posed risks to the rock art - concerns and evidence laid out in full in a cultural heritage assessment the minister is yet to consider. The Burrup Peninsula, in WA's Pilbara region and known as Murujuga to traditional owners, contains some of the world's largest and oldest collection of petroglyphs. The 'section 10' heritage application was originally lodged in early 2022. 'I am furious that the minister would make a decision to lock in ongoing and irreversible damage to my country before addressing my application,' Ms Cooper said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the conditions attached to the pending approval of the North West Shelf extension would address concerns about the rock art. 'The local Aboriginal corporation there, I've met with them in the past, they're very supportive of industry,' he told ABC radio on Friday. 'They want to make sure there's protection, but they support those jobs and that economic activity.' In a separate case, three protesters were fined $10,000 each after targeting a Woodside annual general meeting with stench gas and flares. Disrupt Burrup Hub's Gerard Mazza, Jesse Noakes and Tahlia Stolarski pleaded guilty to charges laid over their protest at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre in April 2023. 'Today we were fined for attempting to create false belief - in other words, we pranked Woodside,' Ms Stolarski told supporters outside Perth District Court after the verdict. 'We are guilty of pulling off a highly successful hoax. 'One day, perhaps Woodside and the WA government will be pulled before a court like this one (and) be charged with much more serious crimes, and their victims will be future generations and all life on earth.'
West Australian
06-06-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Custodian closer to rock art answers after 'rude' wait
Legal action launched by a traditional custodian will go ahead in a bid to compel the government to consider a heritage application to protect Indigenous rock art. Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper said she was thrilled the case against the newly appointed environment minister Murray Watt was moving forward without further delays. "It's rude to have someone waiting for such a long time," the Save our Songlines co-founder said outside the Federal Court in Sydney. "I am furious that the minister would make a decision to lock in ongoing and irreversible damage to my country before addressing my application." The court determined Ms Cooper's case would be heard in the week of July 14. The preliminary hearing follows the minister's interim approval of Woodside's North West Shelf extension, a controversial gas project in Western Australia. The call has flared tensions, with environmental and Indigenous groups arguing it will slow efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and have a ruinous effect on nearby ancient petroglyphs. Senator Watt attached heritage and air quality conditions to the approval and those are yet to be formally agreed to by the Australian energy giant. Ms Cooper said the North West Shelf and other industrial developments at Woodside's Burrup Hub posed risks to the rock art - concerns and evidence laid out in full in a cultural heritage assessment the minister is yet to consider. The "section 10" heritage application was originally lodged in early 2022. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the conditions attached to the pending approval of the North West Shelf extension would address concerns about the rock art. "The local Aboriginal corporation there is, I've met with them in the past, they're very supportive of industry," he told ABC radio on Friday. "They want to make sure there's protection, but they support those jobs and that economic activity." In a separate case, three protesters are expected to be sentenced after targeting a 2023 Woodside annual general meeting with stench gas and flares.
Perth Now
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Custodian closer to rock art answers after 'rude' wait
Legal action launched by a traditional custodian will go ahead in a bid to compel the government to consider a heritage application to protect Indigenous rock art. Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper said she was thrilled the case against the newly appointed environment minister Murray Watt was moving forward without further delays. "It's rude to have someone waiting for such a long time," the Save our Songlines co-founder said outside the Federal Court in Sydney. "I am furious that the minister would make a decision to lock in ongoing and irreversible damage to my country before addressing my application." The court determined Ms Cooper's case would be heard in the week of July 14. The preliminary hearing follows the minister's interim approval of Woodside's North West Shelf extension, a controversial gas project in Western Australia. The call has flared tensions, with environmental and Indigenous groups arguing it will slow efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and have a ruinous effect on nearby ancient petroglyphs. Senator Watt attached heritage and air quality conditions to the approval and those are yet to be formally agreed to by the Australian energy giant. Ms Cooper said the North West Shelf and other industrial developments at Woodside's Burrup Hub posed risks to the rock art - concerns and evidence laid out in full in a cultural heritage assessment the minister is yet to consider. The "section 10" heritage application was originally lodged in early 2022. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the conditions attached to the pending approval of the North West Shelf extension would address concerns about the rock art. "The local Aboriginal corporation there is, I've met with them in the past, they're very supportive of industry," he told ABC radio on Friday. "They want to make sure there's protection, but they support those jobs and that economic activity." In a separate case, three protesters are expected to be sentenced after targeting a 2023 Woodside annual general meeting with stench gas and flares.
