The Australian Greens have labelled the federal government weak after revelations the Environment Minister bowed to pressure from Woodside to weaken proposed protections for rock art from Woodside's North West Shelf project, and relied on dodgy state government documentation.
The "statement of reasons" document shows the Cook Western Australian government misrepresented the damage that the gas plant caused, and will continue to cause, the World Heritage listed Murujuga rock art.
It also found that conditions imposed on Woodside by the WA Labor government were "not sufficient to prevent harm" to rock art, yet federal Labor still caved to gas industry pressure by approving the 40-year extension.
As stated by Greens Leader Senator Larissa Waters:
"This incredibly incriminating document shows just how weak the Labor government is in letting Woodside write their own rules at the expense of ancient rock art and the climate.
"Labor has again conceded to their corporate donors letting them dictate the conditions on the approval of a carbon bomb.
"Woodside should not have had any say on the conditions, but when Woodside CEO Meg O'Neill asks for them to be watered down to protect their profits, Murray Watt delivers for her.
"The statement of reasons document proves that Minister Watt knew about the risk to the World Heritage Murujuga ancient rock art, yet he approved Woodside's 40-year extension anyway.
"If our environmental laws allow the destruction of Murujuga's irreplaceable cultural heritage and the climate, it is clear they are broken.
"Passing the buck onto state governments is not working, WA Labor time and time again prove to be working on behalf of Woodside's interests over that of Country, the community, and our climate.
"It is disgraceful that Minister Watt sided with WA Labor and Woodside over the protection of irreplaceable cultural heritage and a climate safe future.
"Until we have strong federal environmental laws and a genuinely independent EPA, decisions will keep being made to protect industry and political careers, not to protect the environment or heritage.
