Traditional owner takes on Woodside 6/06/25

BREAKING: "Minister Watt agrees to give me 3 days notice before any North West Shelf final decision, as revealed in my Federal Court hearing today.

The Federal Court has ordered that ‘Raelene Cooper v Minister for Environment and Water’ will be heard in the week of July 14.

The Court noted today the Minister’s agreement to give me three business days’ notice before he announces any final approval decision for the North West Shelf.

That gives me the opportunity to consider an injunction to prevent the Minister from making a final decision to approve the North West Shelf extension before determining my Section 10 application.

I commenced proceedings in the Federal Court in Sydney to force Murray Watt to address my application for protection of the Murujuga rock art under Section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act.

I originally brought this application in early 2022 when I learned how my cultural heritage would be affected if industry was allowed to continue expanding on Murujuga, including Woodside’s North West Shelf extension.

I instructed my lawyers at Johnson Legal to commence proceedings to require the Minister to do his Ministerial duty and make a decision. If the Minister waits any longer, there will be nothing left to protect.

If the Minister approves the North West Shelf extension before addressing my application, he will be locking in the very threat that I have sought to prevent.

The Minster does not even have the respect to come and see for himself what he will be allowing Woodside to destroy.

I have had to travel to Sydney to seek legal relief from the ravages of Woodside, the WA government and now the federal government who are willing to destroy Murujuga for corporate greed. At least the whole of Australia now knows about the dirty deals that have been allowed to take place in Western Australia for many years, the worst of which is the North West Shelf extension." Raelene Cooper

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Gomeroi vs Santos Decision - May 19, 2025

Traditional owners disgusted as Native Title Tribunal ticks off Santos' Narrabri Gas Project

Statement by Polly Cutmore, "Native Title Tribunal handed down their judgement on Gomeroi vs Santos Narrabri Gas Project. IT has been given conditional approval with the main claim that overall the Project will deliver a 'net benefit' to the community.

This is based on the assumption that all the gas will go to the domestic market.  How the government is going to ensure this?

No compensation for loss of native title rights over the area, No surety that no damage will be done. What did Gomeroi people get? A 'strengthening of cultural heritage protections' and a ranger program. All overseen by Santos Ltd.

Full credit to the Traditional owners who tried to hold Santos to account, your efforts were not in vain as the whole world knows about this struggle now."

Malarndirri McCarthy to continue as Minister for Indigenous Australians - May 12, 2025

The Australian Labor Party has been returned to government in a landslide victory