Kimberley Page » Environment

James Price Point: Green group wants Premier to ‘come clean’ on land grab

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:03:59 +0000

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:

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.

Moola Bulla: Record rainfall

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:05:11 +0000

Moola Bulla station near Halls Creek has had its highest recorded rainfall for a September day.

Cattle are thriving in the unexpected conditions.

ABC [read this story]

Kununurra: Cane toads battle closer to town

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:46:43 +0000

Cane toads are now established in WA, with much of this year’s eradication program concentrating around Lake Argyle.

Wyndham and Halls Creek are said to be more vulnerable areas as they do not have the large volunteer force assembled in Kununurra.

The West Australian [read this story]

James Price Point: Green groups challenge land clearing permit

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:09:07 +0000

Green groups are challenging Woodside’s right to clear land for a gas hub without environmental approvals.

The company’s license to perform seismic testing, which is said to interfere with whale’s sonar sensing, is also under appeal.

The Australian [read this story]

East Kimberley: Government ‘refuses’ to fight bushfires

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:48:43 +0000

Local landholders say the government is refusing to help fight bushfires if there is an aeroplane involved.

They say they have recently been paying a local operator to help fight fires by plane.

ABC [read this story]

James Price Point: Greens approval unlikely

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:11:32 +0000

Greens Senator Rachel Siewert says her party will not make it easy for a Kimberley gas hub.

Although the Greens would be unable to prevent a government granting environmental approval for the project, she said she will be considering “options” with her party.

The West Australian [read this story]

Opinion: Paddy Manning on James Price Point

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:05:25 +0000

Sydney Morning Herald’s Paddy Manning says the Montara platform disaster ought to act as a warning.

He said while Australia was lucky that the spill from the Montara disaster drifted north to Indonesia, a similar accident at the proposed James Price Point development would rival the recent spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Sydney Morning Herald [read this story]

James Price Point: Protest to target shareholders

admin — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 21:05:35 +0000

Green groups opposed to a James Price Point gas hub plan to target the various companies’ shareholders worldwide.

Campaign organisers say they aim to embarrass Woodside, Shell, Chevron, BP and BHP as beneficiaries of wilderness land taken forcefully from Indigenous people.

Sydney Morning Herald [read this story]

Green groups Kimberley wilderness park campaign

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:05:57 +0000

Several green groups have pooled their resources to launch a campaign.

Environs Kimberley, WWF Australia, Conservation Council, Pew Environment Group, and the Nature Conservancy wish to reserve much of our region as a wilderness park.

You can see their website here: [go to website]

James Price Point: Gas hub ‘threatens whales’

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:51:28 +0000

A new survey counted almost 200 migrating whales swimming close to the Kimberley coast.

The survey’s organisers say construction of a gas hub will be detrimental to the coast-hugging whales, interfering with their feeding, movement and breeding.

The West Australian [read this story]

A Curtin University tourism study argues heavy industrial development will harm the emerging Kimberley tourism industry.

A wildlife photographer said increased boat traffic is already disturbing the whales.

Australian Geographic [read this story]

The ABC said the premier’s decision to go ahead with the gas hub is dividing the local community at Broome.

ABC [read this story]