Murray Watt advised by own department to declare protection order over ‘significant Aboriginal area’ in WA

<p><strong>Exclusive:</strong> Environment department document states that Burrup peninsula site near Woodside gas plant ‘under threat of injury or desecration’</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/aug/25/australia-politics-live-labor-housing-first-home-buyers-anthony-albanese-sussan-ley-question-time-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>The environment minister, Murray Watt, has been advised by his department to declare a protection order over part of the Burrup peninsula in Western Australia due to its significance as an Aboriginal site, a government affidavit filed in the federal court shows.</p><p>A Murujuga traditional custodian, Raelene Cooper, applied in 2022 to protect the area’s cultural heritage from nearby industrial activities, including Woodside’s planned extension of its North West Shelf processing plant.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/25/murray-watt-advised-by-own-department-to-declare-protection-order-over-part-of-burrup-peninsula">Continue reading...</a>