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WA government put ‘very rosy spin’ on report into Woodside emissions at Murujuga, scientist’s private email says WA government put ‘very rosy spin’ on report into Woodside emissions at Murujuga, scientist’s private email says
(about 2 hours later)
Report part of a project used in lobbying effort to dismiss UN concerns that industrial emissions were damaging 50,000-year-old ancient rock artReport part of a project used in lobbying effort to dismiss UN concerns that industrial emissions were damaging 50,000-year-old ancient rock art
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The Western Australia government “put a very rosy spin” on a summary report of a project checking if pollutants from Woodside were damaging 50,000-year-old rock art, according to a private email sent by the lead scientist.The Western Australia government “put a very rosy spin” on a summary report of a project checking if pollutants from Woodside were damaging 50,000-year-old rock art, according to a private email sent by the lead scientist.
In an email released to the ABC, Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Project lead scientist Prof Ben Mullins, of Curtin University, said the WA government had “insisted” on writing the summary report, despite a contract saying that Curtin should write it.In an email released to the ABC, Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Project lead scientist Prof Ben Mullins, of Curtin University, said the WA government had “insisted” on writing the summary report, despite a contract saying that Curtin should write it.
Mullins also wrote in his email to the vice-chancellor that the state Department of Water and Environmental Regulation had probably “hoped everyone would only read the summary and not the full report”. Mullins also wrote in his email to the vice-chancellor that the state Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) had probably “hoped everyone would only read the summary and not the full report”.
Rock art expert Prof Benjamin Smith at the University of Western Australia said earlier this year the summary report was “not worth the paper it is written on” and characterised it as propaganda.Rock art expert Prof Benjamin Smith at the University of Western Australia said earlier this year the summary report was “not worth the paper it is written on” and characterised it as propaganda.
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Smith has said the full report does show the rock art is being damaged by industrial emissions, but the WA government and Mullins have said the MRAMP studies suggest it is not, and that damage detected to some rocks was likely from historic emissions in the region in the 1970s and 1980s.Smith has said the full report does show the rock art is being damaged by industrial emissions, but the WA government and Mullins have said the MRAMP studies suggest it is not, and that damage detected to some rocks was likely from historic emissions in the region in the 1970s and 1980s.
MRAMP was set up to examine if emissions from nearby industry, including Woodside’s Karratha gas plant, were damaging the rock art in the Pilbara region of WA.MRAMP was set up to examine if emissions from nearby industry, including Woodside’s Karratha gas plant, were damaging the rock art in the Pilbara region of WA.
The federal environment minister, Murray Watt, has said he intends to approve a plan from Woodside to extend its North West Shelf gas operations, including the gas plant, until 2070.The federal environment minister, Murray Watt, has said he intends to approve a plan from Woodside to extend its North West Shelf gas operations, including the gas plant, until 2070.
Woodside is still in talks with the government about conditions that Watt has said relate to the release of industrial emissions that could pose a threat to the rock art. The details of those conditions have not been released.Woodside is still in talks with the government about conditions that Watt has said relate to the release of industrial emissions that could pose a threat to the rock art. The details of those conditions have not been released.
MRAMP produced three reports – a summary, an 800-page full technical report and a report about the development of environmental quality guidelines.MRAMP produced three reports – a summary, an 800-page full technical report and a report about the development of environmental quality guidelines.
The results of the second year of the four-year project were used as part of a widespread and successful lobbying effort from the state and federal governments to dismiss concerns from UN advisers that ongoing industrial emissions were damaging some of the rock art at the site.The results of the second year of the four-year project were used as part of a widespread and successful lobbying effort from the state and federal governments to dismiss concerns from UN advisers that ongoing industrial emissions were damaging some of the rock art at the site.
The Murujuga site, which has more than a million petroglyphs, was placed on the world heritage list in June after the committee ignored the concerns of UN advisers.The Murujuga site, which has more than a million petroglyphs, was placed on the world heritage list in June after the committee ignored the concerns of UN advisers.
Mullins’ email was replying to Melinda Fitzgerald, Curtin’s deputy vice-chancellor for research, who had asked about concerns that a chart in the summary document had been altered.Mullins’ email was replying to Melinda Fitzgerald, Curtin’s deputy vice-chancellor for research, who had asked about concerns that a chart in the summary document had been altered.
The alteration removed an aqua dotted line on the chart that showed a number of sites breaching an interim level for nitrogen dioxide.The alteration removed an aqua dotted line on the chart that showed a number of sites breaching an interim level for nitrogen dioxide.
Mullins wrote in the email the state government and the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) had both “insisted” the chart be altered. The original chart remained in a longer companion report.Mullins wrote in the email the state government and the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) had both “insisted” the chart be altered. The original chart remained in a longer companion report.
Guardian Australia asked Mullins why he had said the summary report had “put a very rosy spin” on the findings, and why he thought the state government had hoped people would not read the full report.
He replied “no comment”.
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Guardian Australia asked Mullins why he had said the summary report had “put a very rosy spin” on the findings, and why he thought the state government had hoped people would not read the full report.
He replied “no comment”.
Mullins told the ABC his project had agreed to remove the aqua line “for effective communication” and he stood by the research which was now “integral to the Unesco world heritage inscription”.Mullins told the ABC his project had agreed to remove the aqua line “for effective communication” and he stood by the research which was now “integral to the Unesco world heritage inscription”.
Raelene Cooper, a Mardathoonera woman of the Save Our Songlines group fighting Woodside’s plans, said the release of the email was a “complete vindication of scientific experts and whistleblowers who called out a massive government cover-up as soon as this report was released in May”.Raelene Cooper, a Mardathoonera woman of the Save Our Songlines group fighting Woodside’s plans, said the release of the email was a “complete vindication of scientific experts and whistleblowers who called out a massive government cover-up as soon as this report was released in May”.
She said a royal commission was needed to investigate “covering up evidence of industrial damage to Murujuga’s sacred rock art”, adding “someone needs to be held accountable for this”.She said a royal commission was needed to investigate “covering up evidence of industrial damage to Murujuga’s sacred rock art”, adding “someone needs to be held accountable for this”.
The Guardian has approached the WA government and MAC for comment. A DWER spokesperson said the summary document was “developed to help publicly communicate the findings of a highly technical and complex scientific study.”
DWER had worked with MAC and Curtin University on the document “through multiple drafts” and during that process “the graph in the summary document was simplified to focus on the interim guideline environmental quality criteria.”
The statement added: “The full 800-page report is available to the public, and at no point have DWER, Curtin University or MAC sought to suppress the content of the report. DWER, MAC and Curtin University support the report’s scientific basis.”
The Guardian has approached MAC for comment.
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