Albert Wiggan meets Colin Barnett Beagle Bay

Wiggan says Premier didn't listen
By Vanessa Mills

http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2010/03/25/2856249.htm?site=kimberley

During the recent tour of the Dampier Peninsula, Premier Colin Barnett faced some opposition from several members of the Beagle Bay community. The Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett recently visited the Dampier Peninsula. ABC Kimberley Mornings spoke with him during the visit.

After this conversation, the Premier visited the Beagle Bay community.
A few days after, we spoke to prominent member of the community Albert Wiggan who says the meeting wasn't a satisfactory arrangement.
He says the residents felt they were not listened to and big issues for the community were avoided, including new funding arrangements and governance.

The following footage and text was provided by Eyes On Country.



Contrary to recently released media reports that Colin Barnett’s visit to Beagle Bay Community was a success, his fleeting visit may well have been a “feel good” sight seeing trip to him but the peoples of the Community, which also included those from outlying smaller communities that see Beagle Bay as their essential services hub, were left with the usual hollow feeling that accompanies a visit by government- no outcomes, no solutions and that once again their voices fell on deaf ears.
The general feeling after the gathering was that this was a trip for Colin to feel good about visiting those that he wishes to impose his Gas Hub Vision on, this was confirmed by his admission that in his eyes the Hub would go ahead regardless of how people felt and another subtle media relations campaign to claim that ”they cant say I haven’t talked with the people”. In plain speak-“ A way of covering your behind.”

The Community was made to wait over 2 hours from the scheduled start time in searing heat under the tin roof that is the Women’s Centre (which of course was made spick and span by the fabulous volunteers that run the group).The gathering was introduced by Neil Marshall (DIA) (although some mistakenly took him to be the Premiers Personal Body guard by the domineering manner in which he conducted himself). He apologised for the delayed start.

Nyul Nyul Elder Mr Steven Victor welcomed the Premier and guests to Country.

Approximately only 3 speakers were given time to ask questions and raise important issues before Mr Neil Marshall literally jumped from his chair and declared that question time was over, lunch was ready and people may only now mingle with the Premier. Everyone was completely surprised and many rushed to the Premier to continue raising issues, with Mr Marshall in close attendance.

The issues that were raised by the 3 speakers started with questioning the Premier on the major concerns of housing, health, education and employment. The next main issue was that despite previous meetings and decisions nothing had been done in ten years to address a Safe House for children, and the dilapidated Store and Women’s Centre. He was also questioned as to what he felt was a “real” job for Aboriginal people. The third issue raised was deep concern about the KLC process in relation to the proposed Gas Hub and how grass roots people still felt completely left out of the picture and that there did not seem to be any transparency to the process.

The main jist of Barnetts responses to these issues was that the Gas Hub would supply a flow of money to address these issues and he even elaborated on the design of the Hub saying that for example, that the beach at JPP would be left untouched as there was plans to build the pipes over the top of the beach.(maybe we wont need the sun umbrella anymore, the shade of the pipes should be great on a hot day at JPP).Really, the answers skirted around the real questions and led back to him doing his duty by meeting with people.

During mingle time Barnett, Gail Mc Gowan and Ken Baston (Member for Mining and Pastoral Region) were asked who scrutinises the KLC, such was the concern that things are not transparent yet they all were unable to answer this question. Mr Baston said he would find out and let people know. Stay tuned.

Not long after “mingle “ time and lunch(prepared by the wonderful Vanessa and staff from the Store and the wonderful Denise from the Bakery.) local man Albert Wiggan called for quiet and addressed the Premier and the gathering.Following is the passionate speech challenging the Premier on all levels to come to a new understanding of relationship on these issues.