Traditional owner’s dismay over latest Supreme Court ruling as protests continue against Scarborough project

A Pilbara traditional owner says the WA Supreme Court’s rejection of an environmental challenge to key approvals behind the $16 billion Scarborough gas development is “absolutely devastating news”. The Conservation Council of WA had challenged the validity of environmental approvals, arguing the Environmental Protection Authority did not properly assess the environmental risks of the project which was given the green light by Woodside and BHP in November last year. Justice Jeremy Allanson dismissed the challenge on Tuesday, saying CCWA had not proven the EPA made an error in the approvals process. Kuruma Marthudunera woman Josie Alec said the decision did not come as a surprise to her. “That’s absolutely devastating news and the government and the legal system are not listening,” she said. “They’re not taking into account the G20 and everything that’s happened with the United Nations and every professional scientist that they have all around the world that have said that we need to stop emissions now and destroying our air and our country.” Ms Alec said the community would continue to protest against the gas project, with a march planned on the Burrup on March 13. “There will be lots of songs in language, there will be explanations of what a songline is, there will be talks from Elders that have been fighting this fight for a long time,” she said. “We just want everyone together and on country and feel their spirit lift up from that place because that’s what it’s all about and we want to share that. “We can’t stop what’s happened out there already but there should be some sort of sanction on industries blowing up something that is actually in line for world heritage listing.” About one million petroglyphs cover an area of 37,000ha on the Burrup Peninsula, representing one of the densest and most diverse collections of 40,000-year-old rock art in the world.