QCLNG Denies Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Sites Being Destroyed (Australia)

Allegations that aboriginal cultural heritage sites have been destroyed by the Queensland Curtis LNG Project are baseless, QGC, a BG unit said in a statement.

QGC, as developer of the project, agreed cultural heritage management plans with the Port Curtis Coral Coast Aboriginal Community, the group officially recognised as representing the Gladstone region under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act.

This agreed plan was registered with the Queensland Government in April 2010, as required under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act.

The community and QGC also agreed an indigenous land use agreement which was formally registered with the National Native Title Tribunal in January 2011.

Under these agreements, indigenous representatives lead cultural heritage surveys before any ground is disturbed.

They recorded no aboriginal cultural heritage sites in their surveys. Cultural heritage studies from 1993 to 1997 and in 2001 also found no evidence of culturally significant sites.

The area on which LNG projects are being built on Curtis Island was used to run livestock from 1862 and to dump rubbish, the latter of which QGC and other companies have rehabilitated as part of their contribution to the Curtis Island Environmental Management Precinct which covers 4590ha.

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LNG World News Staff, April 05, 2013; Image: BG