The WA Premier Colin Barnett announced Friday the 22nd October proposals for marine parks in the North Kimberley, Camden Sound, Roebuck Bay and 80 mile beach, and a change in tenure for the Regent River nature reserve.

Conservation groups have slammed the proposals as ‘claytons parks’ offering little real protection and as ‘greenwashing’ and a smokescreen for Barrnet’s continuing support for the controversial Gas hub proposal at James Price Point.

The Kimberley community gathered to tell the Premier 'Whale Bubs Not Gas Hubs'

News and commentary:

Conservationists blast WA marine park plan Sydney Morning Herald October 22, 2010

‘Kimberley Wilderness Parks’ provide little protection – A fig leaf over government’s industrialisation plans. The Wilderness Society.

Cutting through the Spin: The New Camden Sound Marine Park – One Happy Squid blog

Save the Kimberley welcomes new protection for the Kimberley but is worried this is just greenwash to cover Premier Barnett’s continuing support for a gas Hub at James Price Point, which would undermine any positive outcomes from this announcement if it were allowed to go ahead.

Backing up from the huge march and rally the week before the community in Broome moved quickly to send Premier Barnett a message – Whale Bubs, not Gas Hubs.  The ‘greenwashing’ will not work – yes protection for the Kimberley is important and the announcement is a long overdue step in the right direction, but any good work would be wasted if the Gas hub goes ahead and undermines the whole thing.

The Broome community turned out in force to send thier message to Premier Barnett after his announcements.

Concerns were expressed that the Camden Sound marine park offered little real protection and only covered a portion of the known Humpback whale nursery area, the Dampier peninsula and James Price Point are not part of the protection plans.

This is an International issue and a defining moment of history. Here we define our future – respect for culture and our our last wilderness areas, or the beginning of a slippery slope.

Our Kimberley, our future – Save The Kimberley

note:

Interested parties have 3 months to comment on the Camden Sound draft plan, no other detail is currently available.

There are two main ways that a submission on the indicative management plan can be made: 1. download the ‘Have your say’ questionnaire from www.dec.wa.gov.au and post (no stamp required) to Proposed Camden Sound Marine Park Have Your Say Department of Environment and Conservation Marine Policy and Planning Branch Reply paid 83569 Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983 or email to haveyoursay@dec.wa.gov.au The closing date for submissions on this plan is 1 February 2011.

Download the management plan here: Department of Environment and Conservation (2010) Proposed Camden Sound Marine Park indicative management plan 2010 Prepared by the Marine Policy and Planning Branch for the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority, Fremantle, Western Australia