In response to the Western Australian government's approval of the extension of Woodside's North West Shelf gas hub at Karratha, granting it permission to process gas until 2070, the Australian Conservation Foundation's CEO Kelly O'Shanassy said:
"To approve 50 years of climate-heating gas production at Australia's largest gas plant, located right next to ancient World Heritage-nominated First Nations rock art, is irresponsible in the extreme.
"It will be up to Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to make the final call on this.
"We urge Minister Plibersek to protect the World Heritage-nominated Murujuga rock art and reject Woodside's proposal to process gas at Burrup until 2070.
"Murujuga is the largest and most ancient rock art site in the world. The ancient petroglyphs document 50,000 years of continuous occupation and the rich heritage of the Aboriginal people from this area. It is site of irreplaceable importance for humankind.
"Analysis released by ACF in March this year shows lifetime emissions from the Burrup gas hub would be more than 13 times Australia's annual emissions from all sources.
"A 50-year extension would drive demand to open up new gas fields – beyond Browse – and could open the door to fracking the Kimberley, which would be a travesty.
"The extension of Woodside's Burrup gas hub is completely out of step with the Albanese government's vision for a clean, renewable future."
Josie Alec, ACF's First Nation's Lead and a Traditional Owner at Murujuga, said:
"Seeing what's happening here, it's like Juukan Gorge in slow motion.
"It would not be allowed to occur anywhere else in the world and it shouldn't be allowed to continue occurring here."
