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Burrup tragedy: Campbell sends in the bulldozers

22 December 2006 -Media release: Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia - Senator Rachel Siewert has slammed Environment and Heritage Minister Ian Campbell’s decision this morning not to heritage list the ancient rock art on the Burrup Peninsula.

burrup rock art photo courtesy FARA

 “Instead of protecting the site, the Minister is effectively letting the bulldozers in. It is a tragedy and a farce that the Government still can’t get this right,” Senator Siewert said.

"By deliberately delaying a decision the Minister is playing for time to allow development to start before the area is added to the list - hence removing any Commonwealth responsibility and washing his hands of the destruction of the art."

"Compounding his failure to list, the Minister is now going down the appalling path of saying that some of the art is more 'special', and the rest can be sacrificed. This is disgraceful from a Minister whose duty is to protect all of this precious and unique rock art,"  said Senator Siewert.

"How the Government can allow rock art to be relocated or destroyed is absolutely beyond me,” she said.
“There is a perfect site for this project just up the road on North West Shelf Joint Venture land,” Senator Siewert said. “I have contacted all of the partners who have indicated that they are not opposed to co-location as an alternative to destroying the rock art on the Pluto site. All that is needed is for the Minister to facilitate this agreement.”

“If the Minister believes he can delay a decision for another six months without serious consequences to this Government’s reputation, he is entirely mistaken,” she concluded.

Source: Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia

Statement by Ian Gordon Campbell, Minister for the Environment and Heritage download as PDF

Further information: burrup issues page - includes news index and external links

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