Thursday, September 9th, 2010
James Price Point: Green group wants Premier to ‘come clean’ on land grab
Martin Pritchard
Environs Kimberley director Martin Pritchard wants the premier to officially deny a report he plans to acquire 2000 hectares.
His call comes after the Kimberley Land Council reported what is said is official correspondence from the Premier’s Department advising it could take a large amount of west Kimberley land for gas development.
You can read Mr Pritchard’s statement here:
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Premier needs to come clean on 200km² industrial zone
Time to rethink the gas proposal
Reports that the WA Premier is compulsorily acquiring 200km² of land for the proposed Kimberley gas processing plant have angered Environs Kimberley.
“If it’s true that the Premier wants to forcibly take 200 square kilometres of land for a gas processing plant, then we have been seriously misled,” Environs Kimberley Director Martin Pritchard said.
“The WA Premier has said the James Price Point site would be “literally a pinprick” in the Kimberley, comprising only 2500ha on land that wasn’t (in his view) spectacular coastline. (http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/enviro-groups-slam-barnett-decision-20100902-14qm5.html)
“The Premier and the Department of State Development have led us to believe that the proposal was for 25 square kilometres, already a massive industrial development the size of Broome, but 200 square kilometres is ten times the size of the City of Nedlands.
“We have seen government reports that mention an alumina refinery as well as other heavy industry associated with a gas processing plant, and we are very concerned that this 200 square kilometres will be used for this sort of development,” said Mr Pritchard.
“The Premier should rethink this whole proposal and look at sites outside the Kimberley, as the State Government agreed with the Commonwealth that it would do. We believe there could be a win for everyone in this if the benefits package to Traditional Owners was to be provided regardless of where Browse Basin gas is processed. We could protect the Kimberley environment and the local economy, and much-needed funds for social benefit could flow,” Mr Pritchard said.
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