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An indigenous activist successfully blocked offshore seismic blasting for a $12 billion gas project.
Raelene Cooper, traditional custodian of Murujuga land in Western Australia, won her Federal Court challenge on Thursday against Woodside carrying out underwater blasting for its Scarborough gas project.
Ms Cooper said she was deeply concerned about the impact of seismic activity on whales and turtles, which are of great cultural importance to her.
“The risks and impacts of such destructive activities and the consequences of these actions will put the lives of these species at risk,” she said.
Thursday’s ruling marked a victory for groups opposed to fossil fuel development, but a Woodside spokesman said blocking seismic blasts would have no impact on the Scarborough project’s goal of producing its first cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2026.
Raelene Cooper, traditional custodian of Murujuga land in Western Australia, won her Federal Court challenge against the Woodside gas project on Thursday.
Woodside wanted to carry out underwater seismic work for its $12 billion Scarborough project (photo)
In August, Ms Cooper filed a court application, arguing that the National Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) erred in approving the blasting of Woodside because the company had not fulfilled the condition of consulting it correctly.
Judge Craig Colvin agreed, saying NOPSEMA did not have the authority to make the decision to accept the environmental plan since it had not consulted all parties and therefore the approval was invalid and voided, according to court documents.
“Cooper was a person who, under the terms of the conditions, was required to be consulted,” Judge Colvin said.
On Thursday, she said the court’s decision gave her hope that issues other than money would be considered.
“I’m so thrilled. I want my gang, at home, to be empowered thanks to this day today. It’s bigger than me, it’s about my people and our history,” she said.
The massive Scarborough field is located in the Carnarvon Basin, approximately 375 km off the northwest coast of Washington State.
NOPSEMA said it was reviewing the decision to ensure future regulatory actions “would be consistent with the decision.” The environmental plan will be sent back for evaluation to NOPSEMA following the court decision.
Woodside said it will continue to work with NOPSEMA to have an accepted environmental plan in place before beginning the seismic investigation.
Seismic testing is used to map fossil fuel reserves beneath the seabed by blowing compressed air from a specially adapted vessel. The sound of explosions bounces sound waves from the seafloor to the ship’s sensors.
Ms Cooper demonstrated outside Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s office earlier this year.
The multi-billion dollar gas project will be linked to new offshore facilities by a 430km pipeline to the onshore Pluto liquefied natural gas facility near Karratha.
The development phase will include the installation of a floating production unit with eight wells drilled initially and thirteen wells drilled over the life of the project.
Woodside plans to process approximately five to eight million tonnes of gas per year.
Ms. Cooper’s lawyers, The Environmental Defenders Office, said the project would result in the release of a carbon bomb of approximately 878.02 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over the life of the project.
Lawyer Clare Lakewood said Woodside intended to continue the seismic blasting work while the question of whether their approval was valid remained unresolved.
“When NOPSEMA authorized this blasting, it was on the condition that our client was duly consulted before the project took place,” she said.
“Our client argues that consultation requirements must be met before NOPSEMA can give approval, not after, and in any event consultation has not taken place.”
Speaking to Conservative commentator Andrew Bolt on Thursday, former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce lashed out at the decision, saying it was “dangerous” because such fossil fuel and mining projects were the how Australia made money.
“How are you going to pay for hospitals, schools, defense and roads if you don’t make money?” declared the national deputy.
“Our job is to make money if you want to make this economy work – it can’t work without income. You will be poor and poor, it’s not much fun.
Conservative commentator Andrew Bolt said the decision paralleled Indigenous Voice and how it could “spoil the works” for these types of projects.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said fossil fuel and mining projects were how Australia made money and paid for hospitals, schools and social security.
Joyce and Bolt drew comparisons between Indigenous Voice and Parliament, saying such consultation could “clog up” government processes.
“What worries me is the use of the word consult. Doesn’t the Voice talk about consultation? And yet we hear through the Voice debate that there is nothing to worry about,” Joyce said.
“If you don’t like it, show me the hospital you don’t want, the road you don’t want, the welfare you don’t need.”
“All the clothes you wear, the overseas car, the overseas fuel, the overseas television, well something has to be transported on a boat in the other direction.”
Bolt added: “When traditional owners can stop offshore projects by claiming it will harm whale songs, surely our laws need to be rewritten.”