The West Australian Government will prosecute cement company Cemex for allegedly destroying protected Aboriginal rock art up to 10,000 years old. Last month, it was revealed that Cemex had breached a national heritage zone by bulldozing and blasting rocks known to contain important rock art in protected areas of the Burrup, Peninsula. The Cemex blasting and bulldozing operations in the protected zone are believed to have sent fragments splattering into nearby rock etchings, damaging three sites.

The blasting and bulldozing also affected an Aboriginal quarry containing archaeologically significant examples of indigenous tools. Cemex has admitted the breach into the heritage-protected zone occurred, but denies any rock art was destroyed. Penalties under national heritage laws can include a $5 million fine for a company and up to seven years' jail for individual managers. In 2007, Heritage Minister Malcolm Turnbull protected 90 per cent of the Burrup region but set aside sites for industry development.

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