Barnett says Burrup will be protected
WA Premier Colin Barnett has ruled out "bastardising" the Burrup Peninsula, despite concerns being raised over the deregistering of the area as an indigenous sacred site.
Speaking to Spirit Radio's Matthew Layton during his tour of the Pilbara, Mr Barnett said there was no way there would be any relaxation of protection standards on the Burrup Peninsula.
"There is a lot of industry on the Burrup ... but beyond that point most of the Burrup Peninsula is totally protected," he said.
"There is no way we will compromise that.
"What I would like to see is better access for visitors … particularly to the end of the Burrup Peninsula, where the most spectacular rock art is."
While the Burrup as a whole was deregistered after advice from the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee, the decision does not affect more than 2400 individually registered sites on the peninsula.
Greens MLC Robin Chapple said the Burrup in its entirety should be reinstated as a registered site until a full heritage survey was conducted, which he said had not yet happened.
"There are large areas on the peninsula and Dampier Archipelago with extremely high concentrations of artefacts, engravings, middens, hides and standing stones that have never been surveyed," he said.
"Many of the sites on the Burrup are mythological, places of extreme value to indigenous culture and legend.
"It is irresponsible and incorrect for the Minister (for Aboriginal Affairs) to support the removal of the Burrup Peninsula, arguably one of the world's most important heritage places, as an Aboriginal heritage site."
WA Indigenous Affairs Minister Peter Collier said on the basis of information provided by the ACMC the Burrup in its entirety could not, and should not, be considered a site.
“Undoubtedly there are more Aboriginal heritage places that remain to be reported from the Burrup region as it has been estimated the peninsula contains more than 1,000,000 engravings,” he said.
“The ACMC’s determination will not impact upon the other Aboriginal sites on the Burrup peninsula, either those known or as yet unreported.
Mr Collier said there would be no changes to the way the ACMC assessed any newly uncovered places of significance found on the Burrup Peninsula.
