A leading archaeologist from the University of Western Australia has accused the WA government of concealing evidence of industrial pollution damaging Murujuga’s globally significant rock art, following the release of a major scientific report last Friday.
Professor Benjamin Smith, UWA’s Professor of World Rock Art, will address a press conference at WA Parliament House at 12pm today, responding to the findings of the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Report (MRAMP), which is central to a pending federal decision on the North West Shelf gas project extension.
After reviewing the full 800-page MRAMP, Professor Smith claims the report’s executive summary and accompanying media release misrepresent key scientific findings, downplaying the impact of sulphur dioxide and nitrous dioxide emissions from local industry.
He points out that the full report documents pollution levels currently proven to damage rock art, with five monitoring stations nearest to industry exceeding recommended environmental quality criteria — information omitted from the summary.
Industry on Murujuga now emits about 20,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide and nitrous dioxide annually, making it one of the most polluted airsheds in the southern hemisphere.
The MRAMP also records “statistically significant evidence of elevated porosity of granophyre surfaces in an area within the Murujuga region,” which the report acknowledges is most likely caused by industrial activity.
Granophyre is the dominant rock type on which most of Murujuga’s ancient petroglyphs are engraved.
Speaking ahead of the press conference, Professor Smith stated: “We are not in a situation where we are asking ‘Will current levels of pollution damage Murujuga rock art?’.
“Thanks to the full MRAMP Report, there are now multiple lines of evidence showing that industrial pollution has already degraded the rock art and will continue to do so unless we lower the industrial pollution levels of sulfur dioxide and nitrous dioxide.”
He further criticised the report’s attempt to attribute the damage to historical emissions from Dampier’s power generation in the 1970s and 1980s, noting that current industry emissions are five times higher.
“The MRAMP Report tries to blame emissions from power generation in Dampier during the 1970s and 1980s for causing increased porosity of granophyre rocks, the main rock type displaying petroglyphs.
“Dampier power generators likely produced about 4,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide and nitrous dioxide per year on average over that period, when industry currently produces 20,000 tonnes per year.
“If the power plant did some damage, then current damage will be five times worse because current industry produces five times the sulfur dioxide and nitrous dioxide per year.”
Professor Smith’s remarks come as federal Environment Minister Murray Watt prepares to make a key decision on the North West Shelf extension, with the MRAMP report forming a critical part of the evidence base.