There is a new heavyweight in the ring ready for fisticuffs over plans to build a gas processing plant close to Broome.

It’s former Federal Court judge Murray Wilcox QC, who has sat on dozens of historic cases and has long had an interest in human rights.

Mr Wilcox, made last week an officer of the Order of Australia, has this week published a booklet outlining why a gas plant should not go ahead at James Price Point.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/02/04/2810467.htm

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Environment, Government, News by STK Admin

Spin, the Practice of presenting news or information in a way that creates a favourable impression. Rod Hartvigsen a well known Broome Photographer reports on the current situation and atmosphere in the Iconic Town.

I speak to a lot of people on a weekly basis at the Broome Markets. Many are tourists visiting the town and many at this time of the year are locals getting out and about before the rains come after midday. Yes it is the wet season in Broome and the majestic storms are becoming more common.

Last Saturday, a lady I spoke to had just moved to Broome from Port Hedland, a very industrial town approximately 600km to the south and our nearest town in that direction. She had moved because her landlord of what she described as a ‘dog-box’ of a house, had just raised the rent from $900/week to $1300/week as he had heard another ‘boom’ was about to hit town!

This is exactly what the people of Broome are afraid of should Premier Barnett get his way and build a Liquefied Natural Gas plant just out of town.

But this is just one of the many problems that are scaring, dividing and threatening the people of Broome and the Kimberley. Will we continue to have clean air, pristine waters, clear skies at night to view the stars, unrestricted camping, fishing, snorkelling and relaxation along this beautiful section of the Kimberley coast? Will the wilderness be jeopardised for the hungry pockets of a few? (more…)

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Environment, Government, News by STK Admin

THE SHELL OIL COMPANY has heavily backed environmentalists criticism of its Browse Basin partner, Woodside’s plants to build an LNG Facility onshore on the Kimberley Coast’s James Price Point, just north of Broome.

Save The Kimberley spokesman, Kevin Blatchford, said the just released Shell draft environmental impact statement on its proposed Prelude Floating LNG Plant (FLNG) 200km offshore was a damning indictment of its partner’s plans, and The WA Premier, Colin Barnet’s backing of these plans. (more…)

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Environment, Government, Industry, Press release by admin

Paddy Manning SMH August 29, 2009

WESTERN Australia’s pristine Kimberley Coast is under huge development pressure, and it’s not just the big liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing facility proposed for James Price Point, 60 kilometres north of Broome.

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For Colin Barnett to announce that James Price Point is an unremarkable part of the Kimberley coast is insulting to the place and to all those who love it.

James Price Point has been a haven to me for 20 years. It is a place of great beauty and tranquility.

When Colin Barnett set foot there late last year for the first time and decided to destroy it forever, I wonder if he noticed the native bees flying into tiny holes in the dramatic red cliffs, their legs laden with pollen from the purple ipomoea flowers whose creeper hangs like a lace veil from the top of the cliffs to the fine white sand below.

The magnificent cliffs, set against a cobalt sky, are filled with sediments creating rich mosaics that rival the Alhambra in Spain or the Blue Mosque in Turkey.

Did Mr. Barnett appreciate the geomorphology of the 60 to 145 million-year-old rocks in front of him, their formations not only a visual delight but also home to thousands of marine creatures?

(more…)

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Environment, Government by Meredith-author

The following report, released today, vindicates the position of Save The Kimberley, underlining the long term benefits to the nation – including jobs and revenue – when we conserve regions of outstanding national and global significance. Save The Kimberley calls for World Heritage status for the Kimberley, not turning large areas of this magnificent region into industrial wastelands for the short term profit and political gain of a few.

A report into the economic activity of Australia’s World Heritage properties released today by Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett, highlights the value of these universally significant places to Australia’s national, regional and local economies.

“Recent studies show our 17 World Heritage properties generate $12 billion annually and support over 120,000 jobs across the country,” Mr Garrett said “This report, which looks at 15 of our 17 World Heritage properties, confirms the significant contribution our World Heritage properties make to our nation’s economy, and demonstrates their importance to local jobs and tourism. “We already knew some of our most iconic World Heritage places like the Great Barrier Reef and Sydney Opera House were of significant value to our economy, but this report gives us a better appreciation of just how important this contribution is. It shows even our less known places like the Australian Fossil Mammals Sites and Shark Bay make a considerable economic contribution to regional and local economies. (more…)

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Environment, Government, Press release, Science/Research, Tourism by admin

Solicitors from the Environmental Defender’s Office of WA are coming to Broome on 16 May to deliver a free environmental law workshop and advice clinic.

Topics covered at the workshop will include:

• environmental assessment processes under Commonwealth and State law
• mining and petroleum law
• threatened species law and
• protected areas law.

(more…)

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General information by admin

If you listen to WA Premier Barnett and those sections of the media which are cheering his proposals on, you might think that the recent signing on James Price Point had any real substance or was the end of the matter. “Not so” says Joseph Roe: Traditional Owner and Custodian for the protection of the Song Cycle which includes the James Price Point locality.

“There is public perception that all Goolarabooloo-Jabirr Jabirr Native Title claimants had agreed on 15/4/09 to the in-principle agreement struck between the WA State Government, Kimberley Land Council and Woodside.

It is crucial for me to clarify that there was no unanimous agreement on that date. In fact on behalf of Goolarabooloo claimants I voted an emphatic NO.”

By way of background, in 2004 Woodside CEO Don Voelte, Kimberley Land Council advisors and Law Bosses from the Northern Tradition (the Song Cycle from the north of the Dampier Peninsula through the proposed LNG precinct site at James Price Point and continuing south to Bidyadanga) came to Mudnun Community on the Dampier Peninsula.”

All Law Bosses back then said NO to the proposal of a gas hub anywhere on the Peninsula. Every buru (place/country) has a custodian responsible for the protection and maintenance of that part of the Song Cycle.” (http://tourism.heritage.wa.gov.au/ht_pdf/Lurujarri.pdf)

It is my responsibility under Bugarigaara (Dreamtime) to protect the area through the entire proposed gas precinct. I am not opposed to a gas precinct but I am opposed to the destruction of my culture and heritage.”

As the Law Boss, Goolarabooloo will stand and fight to protect Bugarigaara (Dreamtime) and I hope that it is with respect that you see why I will not be signing any agreement to destroy my country.”

JOSEPH ROE
Law Boss & Custodian
Goolarabooloo
Further queries:
Helene Jedwab: silkmusic@westnet.com.au

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Indigenous, News, Press release by admin

The Kimberley Land Council (KLC) has signed off on an in-principle agreement to develop a liquefied natural gas (LNG) precinct near Broome.

In a ceremony at the James Price Point site, 60km north of the tourist centre, federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson joined West Australian Premier Colin Barnett, Woodside chief Don Voelte and KLC chief executive officer Wayne Bergmann for the signing of the heads of agreement.

Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has said a number of important steps remain before the hub gains any final approval, and a full environmental impact assessment will not be completed until next year.

(more…)

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A new chapter in the growing struggle to keep the imposition of heavy industry across the Kimberley commenced on the weekend with the forming of the Sydney Chapter of Save The Kimberley. This begins the spanning of the continent and the start of the awareness group’s push into the large population centres on the east coast, where feelings are already running high on this issue.

(more…)

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