Traditional Custodians Carrying the Cost of Offshore Wind: Two Years Defending Sea Country
Karri Karrak Aboriginal Corporation’s advocacy with regards to offshore wind has been ongoing for over two years now.
This work has included engaging technical expertise and legal counsel at the Corporation's own expense. In practical terms, this means that Traditional Custodians and members have had to carry the cost of trying to secure proper consultation, decision-making authority, information and protection for Boodja and Wardan.
Key steps taken by Karri Karrak include:
15 May 2024
Karri Karrak provided the Commonwealth with a formal proposal for a proper, targeted consultation process with the Board, Elders and Knowledge Holders, based on free, prior and informed consent. This proposal was rejected by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
30 August 2024
Karri Karrak wrote to the Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, requesting a Statement of Reasons under the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 for the decision to declare an offshore wind area in the Indian Ocean off the Busselton region. This correspondence went unanswered.
28 October 2024
Karri Karrak wrote to the Minister again, noting the failure to respond to the Statement of Reasons request.
2 December 2024
The Minister provided the Statement of Reasons. The reasons relied on Australia's international obligations, greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, and changes to the size and location of the declared area. However, this did not resolve Karri Karrak's concerns about the lack of meaningful engagement with Traditional Owners, impacts on Wardan, Aboriginal Cultural Heritage, and native title rights and interests.
22 April 2026
Karri Karrak wrote again to the Minister requesting that the feasibility licence holders be required to undertake a formal, properly resourced consultation process with Karri Karrak. Karri Karrak made clear that, to date, it had not received meaningful engagement from the Commonwealth, the Western Australian Government, or the feasibility licence holders about how the two offshore wind projects will proceed, how impacts on native title rights and interests will be managed, or how Songlines, the cultural seascape, and the interdependent sea life will be understood, respected and protected.
11 May 2026
The Minister's Office responded that, due to competing priorities and a full schedule, the Minister was not available to meet.
Karri Karrak replied the same day requesting that the Minister direct his Department to:
provide the relevant contact details for each feasibility licence holder;
facilitate a formal meeting between Karri Karrak and the licence holders as soon as possible; and
confirm the consultation framework the Commonwealth expects proponents to follow when engaging with Traditional Custodians for these projects.
That correspondence remains unanswered.
DCCEEW has recently announced a funding cap of $80,000 to support engagement with renewable energy projects. Karri Karrak has at least three major renewable energy projects affecting its ILUA area, including Bunbury Offshore Wind, Westward Wind and Scott River Wind Farm. This funding will not come close to resourcing the level of consultation, technical review, legal advice, cultural advice and Traditional Custodian engagement required. Nonetheless, Karri Karrak has submitted an application for this funding.
Karri Karrak is not opposed to renewable energy. However, renewable energy projects must not proceed by sidelining Traditional Custodians or treating cultural values and obligations as an afterthought.
We hope this clarifies any misconception that Karri Karrak has failed to advocate on behalf of the Traditional Custodians it represents. The issue is not a lack of advocacy by Karri Karrak but rater the repeated failure of State and Commonwealth government agencies, across more than two years, to resource and engage in genuine consultation, transparent decision-making and accountability with Wardandi Traditional Custodians and their representative Corporation.