Now its Spirit Whales!

James Macpherson writes: Work on Australia’s most expensive resources project has been halted because of the danger it poses to Spirit Whales. Woodside Energy Group has been ordered to halt work on a $16b gas project off the coast of Western Australia that, if completed, will power 8.5 million homes for the next 30 years. But the […]

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James Macpherson writes:

Work on Australia’s most expensive resources project has been halted because of the danger it poses to Spirit Whales.

Woodside Energy Group has been ordered to halt work on a $16b gas project off the coast of Western Australia that, if completed, will power 8.5 million homes for the next 30 years.

But the Federal Court ordered work to stop after hearing evidence the area was home to mythical whales.

The Spirit Whales, according to Indigenous fables, tell the fish of the sea what to eat, when to mate and where to migrate.

If the gas project was to go ahead, the Spirit Whales would be endangered. And if the Spirit Whales were killed, none of the creatures of the sea would know what do to.

How do the fish survive in countries without spirit whales?

And Judge Craig Colvin, whilst not confirming or denying that Spirit Whales existed, ruled that Woodside had a duty to consider “cultural harm” caused by their project.

Now what I think that means is that whilst absolutely no-one believes that Spirit Whales exist, it would be against the law to upset the wild fantasies of a woman who imagines she talks to whales. 

Because the woman is Indigenous.

And evidently Indigenous fantasies must be indulged, as a mark of respect.

So myths and fantasies must be considered in projects.

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The post Now its Spirit Whales! first appeared on Kiwiblog.