Prime Minister had a whale of a time in Broome

As the gas emissions continue to spew into the air, the oil continues to pour into the Timor Sea from the West Atlas and dead fish are now being washed up along the beaches in Timor. These fish were collected by the local people and eaten which has resulted in food poisoning and itching skin.

Meanwhile, back in Broome, our Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd called in to touch base with Kerry Stokes (A Media Man) who has a residence overlooking Cable Beach in Broome. A civic reception hosted by Broome Shire Council was held at the Shire offices, on Friday the 2nd October, in the cool of the afternoon.

Positioned on the front lawn of the Shire Offices was a large art installation of a whale placed in a symbolic sea of oil was there to greet the Prime Minister. A number of protesters were also there to draw attention to: the current ecological catastrophe from the weeks of oil spilling from the West Atlas into the Timor Sea, the proposed 14 trains LNG precinct at James Price Point and the lack of faith in the Kimberley Land Council.

Several Indigenous and Conservation groups’ representatives were represented within this reception, providing an opportunity to raise several concerns with the Prime Minister directly. Neil McKenzie, a Jabirr Jabirr man representing Save the Kimberley presented the PM with a beautiful framed photo of James Price Point. Mr Joe Roe from Goolarabooloo, the head applicant to the Native Title Claim over James Price Point presented Mr Rudd with an open letter. This letter will be bogged within the next 24 hours on Handsoffcountry.

Whales & Oil Spill off the Kimberley Coast

Here's a link to channel 7's story on the whales on their Sunday Night programme - visually a great story which also brings up the oil slick and the gas hub.

http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunday-night/video/-/watch/15774959/

The environment group WWF says dolphins and other marine animals are swimming around in oil leaking from a rig off the north-west Australian coast.

Oil has been leaking from the West Atlas oil rig in the Timor Sea since at least August 21.

WWF representative Gilly Llewellyn says she is aboard a WWF boat close to the oil slick.

She says there are lots of fish and other animals in the area, which are coming into contact with the oil.

"I'm glad that we're literally not seeing lots of dead animals," she said.

"But at the same time we are seeing animals now in the area affected by the slick.

"These animals are likely to be exposed to continuing levels of toxicity that potentially has long-term effects."

Ms Llewellyn says the boat has been moving in and out of oily patches in the area for two days.

"The stuff we're seeing and the stuff we're bringing back is waxy, it's almost like hard cheese or like the hardened wax you get on a chicken soup when the fat hardens," she said.

"This stuff is going to be around for a long time. So we need to sort of shatter the myth that there's not a problem out here."

The company that owns the rig says it is still trying to stop the flow of the oil and the Federal Government says there is no evidence of environmental damage.

Whales on the Kimberley Coast

Here's a link to channel 7's story on the whales on their Sunday Night programme - visually a great story which also brings up the oil slick and the gas hub.

http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunday-night/video/-/watch/15774959/

The Shire of Broome's Kimberley LNG Precinct

The Shire of Broome held a Community Forum on the proposed Kimberley LNG Precinct at James Price Point. Presentations, which were limited to ten minutes were presented by the WA Department of State Development, KLC, Environs Kimberley, The Wilderness Society, Save the Kimberley, Woodside, Broome Chamber of Commerce, Broome Port Authority, Broome International Airport and others about the impacts and the opportunities and what is actually planned at James Price Point. Approximately 180 - 200 members of the community attended however, many expressed their disappointment about not being able to raise questions or pass comment within the forum.

There are now three videos uploaded, please take the time to download.

Regards Red

Kimberley LNG Open Public Forum No fanfare.

The Kimberley LNG Open Public Forum held today in Broome opened without a Welcome to Country from Traditional Owners and no fanfare from the WA Department of State Development.
The Forum was the first public open forum held by the State Government on the Kimberley LNG Precinct proposed for James Price Point. This forum is part of the Social Impact Assessment currently being undertaken.








Redhand encourages you to read the post this morning about the Tourism Impact Assessment Report which was released yesterday by the Western Australian Department of State Development.

Tourism Impact Assessment Report Released

The Tourism Impact Assessment Report was released yesterday. Red Hand has skimmed the Report in order to compiled a quick summary, raise questions and highlight a few of our concerns.

The purpose of the Tourism Impact Assessment was to report on the potential negative and positive impacts of the proposed construction and ongoing operation of the proposed LNG Precinct in the vicinity of James Price Point on the tourism industry in Broome and the West Kimberley region.

This Report has illustrated that the consultants have no understanding of the social fabric underlays of the Broome community. The report does not acknowledge or have any insight into the people or the community that committed themselves and built a viable tourism industry, over many years, out of hard work and little to no support from the State Government. Now, just when the Broome Brand is branded they wish to dismiss all this effect and expense to impose an industry that will completely destroy all this hard dedicated work and write off people’s personal and business dreams as inconsequential.

This Report does exactly what the project proponent to the project, the State Government wanted it to achieve, it mitigates the negative impacts by placing responsibility back onto the Broome community and the Shire to manage, and capitalises on peoples economic insecurities to promote unproven positive impacts?

Why does this Report push a line that Broome is not part of the real or true Kimberley?

Why didn’t this Impact Assessment consult with or refer to the Jabirr Jabbirr, Goolarabooloo and Yawuru groups about the Assessment, the consultation process and or Report.?

Why was the vital Entertainment Industry, a very valued contributor to the Broome tourism coddled into the Report under the section titled food providers/entertainment?

Why was there no mention or recognition of Broome’s Music, Arts and Film industries in the whole report? No appreciation or understanding of how these industries contributed to the development of and totally underpinned Broome's tourist brand. It was these industries that first drew attention to Broome, it was these industries that projected Broome out onto the national and international stage. And this industry continues to do so to this very day.

Why was the length of time people have lived in Broome, so significant in the Report’s findings? If these factors were so imperative why haven’t the locals, who were born and bred in Broome been consulted, included or considered in this Impact Assessment?

Why does this report use the same language as the Social Impact Assessment and the same cut & pasts approach and many of the previous Reports, NDT, Scope, Social Assessment Vol 1, when it was undertaken by private consultants?

Why hasn’t this report looked at the four different development scenarios?
1 – no development,
2 – Low Case,
3 – Medium and
4 – High case?

Why were the consultants compiling this report under the same direction as the KLC, who are currently undertaking the Cultural/Heritage SIA:- "to mitigate and manage the negative impacts and capitalise on any positive impacts?"

As part of this study, 100 Broome residents were required to be interviewed to quantify the perceptions of the resident population in terms of the impact of a proposed LNG Precinct at James Price Point.

A survey was sent out, and many Broome people responded to it, believing it to be a bona fide residential survey, believing that their opinions were finally being sort and that this Survey was open to all Broome's residents to respond.

Survey Invitations sent = 254
Responses = 612
Verified Responses44 = 119 (46.9%)

However, according to the Report, 612 participant’s surveys were not included in the final analysis.

“It became evident within the first couple of days of the questionnaires being distributed that recipients who felt strongly about this issue would forward it to others who shared the same concerns. As noted above, over 600 responses were received of which only 119 were returned with a unique survey number that had been generated when the invitations were sent. Only those surveys having a system-generated, unique, source code were included in the final analysis. It is interesting to note that of the 493 unverified responses returned, 2 were supportive of the LNG Precinct development while 491 were strongly opposed".

If a Survey has the ability to draw such a strong community inquisitiveness and trepidation then surely this response needs serious analysis and should not be dismissed so readily or with such condescension.

This was one of the questions in the Residents Survey: The anti gas lobby is doing more harm to tourism than the LNG Precinct would ever create . How is this type of questioning acceptable or relevant in a Tourism Impact Assessment?

Is the Broome Shire fully aware of how busy as they are going to be because they are listed as the major driver in managing the mitigating impacts?

Why does the Report try to perpetuate a myth of division and competition between the East and West Kimberley?

“The “no gas” lobby is expressing opinions without having all the facts. Some basic information needs to be published sooner rather than later, otherwise tourists may see the gas plant as a negative” The No Gas lobby have been saying exactly this “there is no facts out there, no information has been made available, workshops have been closed, dubious survey spend around town, Master Plans hidden for the public, and invested interest groups driving the format, process and outcomes of the Report’s findings.

“The Shire needs to be far more proactive in taking a lead role to ensure that Broome leverages the infrastructure it needs to support the town and the tourism industry” On what grounds, on what findings, on who’s say was this statement supported and how was this verified?

This report was submitted to the Government in June why has this report taken so long to be released?

Has the State Government made any changes or spin doctored the original report?

Tourism Assessment Report, P. 18
5: Residents Survey 81 | P a g e
Section 5: Residents Survey P a g e 92
Appendices 193 | P a g e
Appendices 193 | P a g e

Kimberley LNG precinct James Price Point Open Public Forum

SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT COMMENTS WELCOME AT OFFICE ON THURSDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER, from2

If you would like to speak one-on-one to DSD staff about the social impact assessment, members of the public are also welcome to attend an open office event at the Broome office of the Department of State Development, upstairs in Woody’s Arcade on Dampier Terrace. Call the Department on 9222 0555 for more info.

Over 200 redhands floated in the breeze at the Broome Courthouse Markets this morning, invitations to the Western Australian Department of State Development - KIMBERLEY LNG PRECINCT Open Public Forum in its office on Dampier Terrace Chinatown Broome in the afternoon of the 17th September. The Department has provided an opportunity to provide feedback, ask questions and get information about the Kimberley LNG precinct at James Price Point.

Questions on the redhands included:
How much will the airport traffic and noise increase with the fly in and fly out proposal?
How do you measure quality of lifestyle?
Why hasn’t the Social Impact Assessment looked at the precinct development scenarios equally?
Why does the Broome community have to continue to suffer the noise from the airport with only the promise of more to come?
What will this proposed LNG development do for my “sense of place”?
What will be the effect of the blasting on whales?
Will light emissions interfere with our stargazing?
Do you think your Community Consultation has provided clear, accurate and relevant information with the Broome community
If we lost Cable Beach to an oil spill do you think it would affect our tourist industry?
What are you going to do about the helicopter noise?
Will light emissions interfere with our stargazing?
Will my mum and dad be able to camp at Quondong for their annual holidays, like they have been for years?
What will happen to Willie Creek Pearl Farm?
How much groundwater will be extracted and where will it come from?
Where is the Master Plan for the Kimberley LNG Precinct?
Will we get extra police?
Can the Broome hospital cope in an emergency explosion or accident?
Why did you have to get an invitation to attend a “sense of place” workshop?
Who and how will you measure soil contamination?
What is a hydrocarbon processing facility?
How will you measure dust emissions during construction and operation?
Who and how will you measure groundwater contamination?
How do you stop tankers crashing into whales?
What happens if a cyclone comes and blows away the proposed LNG precinct, would you build it again?

Also seen at the markets today, a Save the Kimberley yellow flier about the Shire of Broome's LNG Forum-James Price Point all day Friday and Saturday 18 and 19 September

At last!!!!!!!!!!! work starts to try and stem river of oil

The company responsible for an oil spill in the Timor Sea says final preparations are being made to stop the leak.

For three weeks oil from an uncapped drilling hole has been spilling into the sea off the Kimberley coast at a rate of about 300 to 400 barrels a day.

The spill in the Montara oil field has been sprayed with dispersants but so far there have been no attempts to stop the leak.

PTTEP Australasia says a relief oil rig from Singapore is now in place and preparations are being made to stem the oil flow.

Workers at the scene plan to drill a new hole to intersect the oil leak from two kilometres away and stop the flow by injecting mud.

The process is expected to start in the next two days.

Timor Sea Drilling Spill Covers 2,500 Square Miles

Montara Oil Well Blowout and Spill - Location Map on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
SkyTruth click in this link for photos.

SkyTruth obtained a full-resolution version of the NASA /MODIS satellite image taken on August 30, 2009, nine days after the blowout and spill began from the Montara offshore oil platform in the Timor Sea off Western Australia. We did some additional processing to enhance features in the ocean, and discovered that slicks and sheen extended even further to the northeast than we thought a few days ago. We've uploaded two new MODIS images to our growing online gallery of this event: one is simply the MODIS imagery with no annotation; the other is the same chunk of imagery with SkyTruth's analysis.

NASA/MODIS satellite image, August 30, 2009, with SkyTruth analysis click in this link for photos
Montara Spill - MODIS Detail (with interpretation), August 30, 2009 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

This image shows that oil slicks and sheen from the blowout had already spread across 2,500 square miles of ocean by August 30. And it will take several weeks, possibly months, before this well can be controlled.

Thanks to Jesse Allen at NASA and the MODIS Rapid Response Team for providing the original MODIS image.

"Yes they swim past James Price Point,"

Western Australia's Premier Colin Barnett says he will do all he can to protect whales from being affected by a gas development in the Kimberley.

Green groups say an aerial survey has recorded large numbers of humpback whales near James Price Point.

The area, 60 kilometres north of Broome, has been selected by the WA Government as the best place to locate a processing hub for gas taken from the Browse Basin.

Environmentalists have been campaigning against LNG developments being located on the Kimberley coast.

The Wilderness Society, the Conservation Council, and Environs Kimberley say James Price Point should not be an industrial site.

Campaigner Richard Costin organised the aerial survey.

"Over a two-hour flight, we recorded about 102 pods, which represented 162 individual whales, which is one of the highest concentrations anywhere in the world," he said.

"I think that Colin Barnett and also the Federal Government and (Federal Environment Minister) Peter Garrett need to really carefully consider what's going on here.

"They need to actually do a lot more comprehensive studies in the area, probably over the next couple of years, before they actually jump in and make any decision on putting an industrial complex there at James Price Point."

Mr Costin says the companies involved in the Browse Basin should be seriously considering processing gas offshore.

"The best option for developing the gas is to move on to floating LNG technology," he said.

"At the moment Shell are actually considering that for their Prelude Field and a number of other operators around the world are now looking at floating LNG as the best option."

Mr Barnett says it is not surprising to have a large number of humpback whales in the area.

"The whale population migrating up the Western Australian coast is one of the great whale migrations on the planet," he said.

"There are 22,000 whales doing that trip backwards and forwards each year. The numbers I'm advised, are increasing at about 10 per cent per year."

Mr Barnett says the Government will not allow any development at James Price Point to bring harm to the whales. He says whales can be seen off many other industrial sites.

"Yes they swim past James Price Point," he said.

"They swim past Geraldton. They swim past Kwinana. They swim past Bunbury. They go up and down the coast every year and we will ensure that they are not in any way adversely impacted by the development on shore of an LNG precinct at James Price Point."

North Head was considered as a site for the LNG hub but was knocked back because of a high concentration of whales. Mr Barnett says James Price Point will be the location.

"James Price Point, on environmental grounds, on isolation from communities, on offshore and onshore geological and technical conditions, is clearly the best location," he said.

Whales Dance at James Price Point too

Over the weekend, 162 humpback whales were sighted off the Kimberley coast at James Price Point, the proposed location for the development of the massive LNG industry in Western Australia and is to escalate tensions.

An aerial survey last weekend by the Wilderness Society recorded the huge number of whales, including bulls and cows with their calves, in more than 100 separate pods off James Price Point.

The Point, a pristine wilderness 60 kilometres north of Broome, is a proposed site for a new LNG processing hub for Woodside's Browse Basin gas fields. The West Australian Premier, Colin Barnett, announced the site last December after an earlier location, North Head, was rejected partly because of its importance to the whales which travel between the Antarctic and the Kimberley coast.

Each year between July and November, thousands of humpbacks mate and give birth in the waters off the Kimberley. Until now, there has been a dispute over whether the waters off James Price Point were part of their route.

Richard Costin, who organised the survey for the Wilderness Society, said that based on recent research ''there is no doubt that the area around James Price Point is at least as significant for humpback whales as other sites that have been considered unsuitable for industrial development due to whale activity''.

"The whale population migrating up the WA coast is one of the great whale migrations on the planet ...... 220,000 whales do that trip each year," Mr Barnett said. "They go up and down the coast and we will ensure they are not in any way adversely impacted by the development onshore of an LNG precinct at James Price Point." more by Colin Barnett WA today

Oil spill off the West Australian coast as an appalling incident.

The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has described a large oil spill off the West Australian coast as an appalling incident.

The West Atlas drilling rig has been leaking crude oil and gas into the Timor Sea for a week and a half.

A second rig is being towed to the site to drill a relief well and cap the leak.

Mr Rudd says the Federal Government is monitoring the situation and will do everything it can to minimise the damage.

"The relevant Federal Government authority has an investigation underway," he said.

"This is an appalling incident. We've got to get to the absolute bottom of how it happened but the immediate challenge is to deal with the practical consequences."
Supplied images from Greens Senator Rachel Siewert, taken August 28, 2009. Senator Siewert chartered a plane and flew over the site of the West Atlas oil platform spill, and says her visit showed that the spill was far greater than had originally been reported. (Office of Senator Rachel Siewert:

Chevron A$50 billion project wins Australia approval

Australia approved Chevron Corp.’s A$50 billion ($42 billion) liquefied natural gas venture on a remote island, adding stricter conditions to quell environmental concerns about the nation’s biggest resources project.

The additional terms for the Gorgon project will enable it to proceed within a nature reserve “without unacceptable impacts,” Environment Minister Peter Garrett said in Canberra on Wednesday. Chevron has said the venture off the northwest shelf may produce its first LNG in 2014.

The decision clears one of the final obstacles to Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Exxon Mobil Corp. building the venture on Barrow Island, 50 kilometers (32 miles) off the West Australian coast. Gorgon has contracts to supply fuel to China, India and Japan and is among more than 12 LNG projects in the region competing for Asian buyers.

“Gorgon is big and going to fill the available hole” for LNG demand, said Peter Arden, a Melbourne-based analyst at Ord Minnett Ltd., an affiliate of JPMorgan Chase & Co. “There’s a case for some of the proposed projects that if they don’t move quickly then it may get congested and some might not make it.”

The Gorgon partners will make a development decision after they win production licenses from the Australian government and development approvals from the Western Australian state government, Nicole Hodgson, a Chevron spokeswoman, said on Wednesday.

Oil & Gas Spills anywhere along the west coast of Australia has consequences for all of the Australian coastline

Influenced from the Pacific Ocean by El Niño, the Leeuwin Current exerts a major influence on the distribution of marine life and Western Australias weather. It forms near the North West Shelf on Australia's west coast.

Ocean currents shape the marine environment and our climate. As it travels south the current breaks into a series of southward and eastward flowing eddies and eventually dissipates in the Tasman Sea and Southern Ocean. It is the longest coastal current in the world, extending some 5 000 kilometres.

Mr Barnett says if the weather or ocean current changes, the WA Government can send out ships and planes to help contain the spread of the oil. "And if the worst possible scenario comes into play and some oil washes up on the West Australian coast, then there will be recovery teams in place including wildlife recovery teams," he said.

Can someone please explain how our Premier is planning to stop the Holloway Current or how he thinks it will change?

The Spill

Just click on the links and follow the "World's Best Practice!"

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is a largely self-funded government agency with the charter of enhancing efficiency in the delivery of safety and other services to the Australian maritime industry. The following information was obtained from http://www.amsa.gov.au/About_AMSA/

Under the Australian National Plan arrangements the On Scene Coordinator (OSC) usually has the responsibility to authorise the use of chemical dispersants in an oil spill incident. Another officer or agency may have the authority as designated by state or territory contingency plan. This decision is usually based upon the advice of the designated Commonwealth/State/Regional Environmental and Scientific Coordinator (ESC).

The advice will always consider the:
oil type (persistent or evaporative),
location of the slick,
spread of the oil,
movement of the slick,
proximity of the oil to sensitive environments,
wildlife priorities,
safety concerns,
water depth,
water exchange in the area,
and whether the oil is amenable to dispersant application, etc.

On what basis is the decision made to use dispersants in a spill incident?

The main basis for decision making in determining whether oil spill dispersant will be used is:

" Will the application of the chemical dispersant to the spilled oil minimise the overall environmental impact of the oil spill?"

Except for the impact on marine birds and mammals, the most damaging effect of oil spills is when the oil strands on shorelines or enters restricted shallow waters like estuaries. Oil Spill Dispersants are a prime and vital response tool to stop oil coming ashore or from entering sensitive foreshore environments especially when weather and sea conditions do not allow the use of oil containment and recovery equipment.

Oil Spill Dispersants are usually not applied to oil spills in "near shore areas" for example: where sea grass beds, oyster beds, mariculture or coral reefs are present. However, dispersant use may be authorised by the On Scene Coordinator in consultation with the Environmental and Scientific Coordinator in these circumstances when there is a possibility of an impact of oil on a more sensitive foreshore habitat, or wildlife impacts are possible. For example, when an approaching oil slick may impact sensitive fringing mangroves, or endangered species such as migratory birds.

What are the negative effects of dispersants on the environment ?

The acute toxicity of dispersed oil generally does not reside in the dispersant but in the more toxic fractions of the oil. Dispersing oil into the water in situations where there is little water movement or exchange, such as shallow embayments, increases exposure of subsurface, benthic organisms and fish to the toxic components of the oil.

Fish and other marine life in the larvae stage or juvenile stages are more prone to the toxicity effects of oil and dispersants. Therefore it is unlikely dispersants will be used near commercial fisheries, important breeding grounds, fish nurseries, shellfish aquaculture etc. unless it is to protect a more important environmental resource.

Seagrasses and coral reef communities are particularly sensitive to dispersed oil because instead of the oil "floating over" the reefs and submerged seagrass beds the oil/dispersant mixture in the water colour will come into direct contact with these sensitive ecosystems.

Generally there is a reluctance by spill responders to use dispersants in shallow waters less than 5 metres deep, although there may be situations where using dispersants could save foreshore impacts or wildlife.

What are the impacts of dispersed oil on coral reefs?

Coral reef communities are highly sensitive to both oil and oil/dispersant mixtures. For example the exposure of coral to hydrocarbons can cause:

loss of symbiotic zooxanthellae (tiny algae living in coral),
reduced metabolism,
cellular atrophy,
decreased reproductive success,
impaired tissue development, and
death of the coral.
Spill responders will avoid using Oil Spill Dispersantsin or near coral reefs, in shallow waters, sea grass beds or where poor water exchange or circulation is apparent, unless in exceptional circumstances to protect mangroves or other highly sensitive foreshores.

How effective are oil spill dispersants ?

Chemical dispersants aid the natural dispersion of oil by reducing the oil/water interfacial tension and, along with the natural motion of the sea, allow the break up of oil on the water into very fine droplets.

Effectiveness of oil dispersion by chemical dispersants at sea is governed by a range of conditions and include the:
type and chemistry of the oil,
degree of weathering of the oil,
the thickness of the oil slick,
type of dispersant,
droplet size and application ratio,
prevailing sea conditions (wave mixing energy), and
sea temperature and salinity.

Will dispersants work on all types of oils ?

No, dispersants will not work on all oil spills.

The first rule in combating oil spills with dispersants is that the oil must be amenable to dispersant use. It is also well understood by oil spill response agencies that dispersants are only effective on certain types of oils and the first priority is always to determine the spilled oil's physical and chemical properties in order to assess combat options.

It has been generally accepted that non-dispersable oils are;

non-spreading oils (pour point is higher than sea temperature), highly viscous oils (> 2000 Centistokes (cSt) - a measurement of the mobility of oil), a water-in-oil emulsion has formed (mousse).

A "rule of thumb" amongst spill responders as to whether or not a dispersant will work has historically been - "a dispersant may have a reasonable success rate if the oil is continuing to "flow" or spread as a fluid (not just sheening)".

Unfortunately this "rule of thumb" is only partly correct. The properties of these oils are determined by their chemical composition which vary widely. For the purposes of determining the use of dispersants at various sea temperatures the important properties are:

the specific gravity (or API gravity),
pour point, and
viscosity.

Pour point and viscosity of a spilt oil are the dominant factors for the determination dispersant use. An oil/sea temperature/dispersant use matrix has been prepared by AMSA to assist responders under the National Plan. Field testing of dispersants on the spilt oil may be required by the On Scene Coordinator (OSC) or the Environmental and Scientific Coordinator (ESC) before the decision to proceed with dispersant spraying operations is made.

How quickly do we need to apply dispersants to an oil spill ?

As quickly as possible!

There is only a limited "window of opportunity" to use chemical dispersant in an oil spill incident. This is primarily due to the changing properties of the spilt oil due to weathering of the oil, but is also governed by the location and speed of movement of the slick onto the foreshores or into estuarine environments.

This window of opportunity may be as little as only a few hours. Sometimes if the conditions are favourable, a day or two.

Therefore it is essential that the capability exists to quickly activate and deploy resources anywhere across Australia to deliver and apply oil spill dispersants at sea.

The National Plan, with the assistance of the oil industry, has in place a fixed wing aerial dispersant capability along with significant stocks of Oil Spill Dispersants around the Australian coast. This aerial dispersant capability provides "at call", commercially operated, large agricultural spray aircraft to provide the delivery of Oil Spill Dispersants during maritime incidents.

Social Impact Assessment Façade

The way in which the Social Impact Assessment for the Kimberley LNG Precinct is being conducted, the insincerity of the Western Australian government’s Department of State Development intentions to consult the local community, the hypocritically ways in which they interpret their own reports and implement their own social impact guidelines, the ways in which information is presented or not and their highly questionable arrogant indifference shown to the Broome community is totally dumfounding, frustrating and dishonest.

It appears that even our local elected representatives, Broome Shire Council are being treated with the same indifference. Redhand has grave concerns as to how the Department of State Development are going to conduct the Indigenous Social Impact Assessment given their present day performance and their total disregard for community, people, their values and their own sense of place.

Trying to get information from or even a return phone call about these social impact workshops has been like drawing blood from a stone. These workshops have not been advertised, no one understands who has been invited to attend or how they were the chosen few, when or where these workshops were being held or how the attendees learned about the workshops. There has been no independent scrutiny about the information given or the way in which information has been presented at these workshops.

From what we can gather, other Government departments have been responsible in nominating people to attend these workshops. Apparently, the workshops have been purposely limited in size and were held in the local Broome DSD offices. The larger Health workshop was held at the Mangrove Hotel on the 12th August. Even the Community Update:- Kimberley LNG precinct published in the local newspaper fails to inform the community about the times, dates and venues for these workshops and abortive to provide contact numbers or names (this was rectified in this weeks’ paper after several phone calls) and many people do not have access to the internet and are unable to inform themselves through the website address provided. Should you wish to attend the remaining workshops you need to receive an invitation? How you would do this? I do not know.

22nd July Sport and Recreation
6th August, Infrastructure
11th August Housing and Land
12th August Health Impacts

On the 10th September, the Heritage and Sense of Place Workshop will be held, where? This workshop aims to identify what makes Broome unique and our community’s sense of place. So, how would the Department of State Development know who to invite to this workshop? We certainly understand they know who not to invite, the general public, the major stakeholders in this so called Social Impact Assessment façade.

So where is the Public forums, the Department of State Development has been promising the Broome Community for months and when is the State Development Department going to abide by their contractual agreement with the Federal Government to ensure that these basic fundamental principles of community consultation are undertaken as quite clearly outlined within both the Kimberley LNG Precinct – Scope of the Strategic Assessment document and the Social Impact Assessment document.?

Red hand has been informed that should the general public seek to comment on the issues we have identified in the Scope and Profile document we can provisionally attend the DSD offices in Broome between the hours of 2 -6pm on Thursday, 17th September.

According to the Kimberley LNG Precinct – Scope of the Strategic Assessment
Page 179

13 Stakeholder ConsultationStakeholder consultation is an integral component of the environmental assessment and approvals process.
In accordance with the industry guidelines for community involvement (DoE 2003), throughout the assessment process, the aims of stakeholder consultation include:

• Inform stakeholders of the proposed project;
• Maximise the level of accurate and accessible information about the project to
affected communities;
• Provide adequate time for stakeholders to consider and engage in meaningful
dialogue on the project;
• Identify and attempt to resolve potential issues early in the planning process;
• Record stakeholder concerns and ensure response is provided to address concerns;
and
• Obtain mutually acceptable outcomes on the project.

A comprehensive consultation program was undertaken throughout the Site Selection Process (NDT 200d). A consultation program will continue throughout the assessment process as a two-way flow of communication between government as the Precinct Proponent, industry Proponents and stakeholders. This will assist in identifying significant environmental and social issues and will enable an open, transparent and comprehensive exchange of information and views.

The consultation program will meet the aims as discussed above ensuring that people are being kept informed of development plans and decisions and enable them to contribute input.

13.2 Key stakeholders

The stakeholder consultation program will involve engagement with a range of stakeholders, including indigenous and non-indigenous organizations, and will include the following main groups:

• Members of the public;
• Conservation groups;
• Non-government organizations;
• Tourism Operators;
• Aquaculture Industry;
• Broome Community;
• Education/Academic Institutions;
• State, Commonwealth and Local Government Departments;
• Project Proponents and other industry groups; and
• Traditional Aboriginal owners and other indigenous groups.

Kimberley LNG Precinct – Scope of the Strategic Assessment
Page 180

A preliminary list of stakeholders has been prepared (Appendix K). This list includes (but is not limited to) people and organizations who are likely to have an interest in the Kimberley LNG Precinct or who may be affected by the proposal.

13.3 Consultation ProgramStakeholder consultation will be a continuing activity for the Kimberley LNG Precinct.

The consultation program will be framed around key milestones for the assessment, and be provided by various means including briefings, community meetings, published material, web sites and other communication methods appropriate to the target audience.

According to the Social Impact Assessment that was released last week section

2.5.3. Community Consultation Community consultation is an ongoing component of the social impact assessment and continues through all phases of the process. Stakeholders include local, State and Commonwealth Government, local service providers, local interest groups, local business, Aboriginal groups and their representatives and community members.

A community consultation plan, incorporating existing and planned activities has been developed to ensure continual disclosure of information to the community and to facilitate community engagement with the SIA.

Broome Shire
Meanwhile the Broome Shire is holding a two day exhibit/presenter Forum for Friday 18thSeptember 2009 and Saturday 19 September 2009.

The proposed format for the two day forum to be held at the Broome Recreation and Aquatic Centre is as follows:
Friday 18 September 1000 – 1700 (displays)
Saturday 19 September 0900 – 1630 (displays)
Saturday 19 September 1030 – 1230 (presentations)
So the only time we as a community have is 2 hours in which we can question, enquire, understand and make inform assessments of a proposal that will change our community, our brand, our values and our future forever.

IN Parliament last week this was reintegrated that Extract from uncorrected Hansard
[COUNCIL - Wednesday, 12 August 2009]
p17c-18a
Hon Robin Chapple; Hon Norman Moore

KIMBERLEY LNG PRECINCT . STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT

742. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for State
Development:

I refer to the Kimberley liquefied natural gas precinct scope of the strategic assessment produced by the
Department of State Development, page 180, section 13.1.consultation program.and table 13.1.key
milestones for consultation.
(1) What methods were used to consult the general public about the scoping document for the strategic
assessment, as mentioned in table 13.1?
(2) What meetings or presentations have been offered to the general public for their input into the scoping
document for the strategic assessment, as mentioned in table 13.1?
(3) Has the scoping document for the strategic assessment been made available on websites, as mentioned
in table 13.1?
(4) If yes to (3), which are the relevant websites?
<010> E/3
(5) Has the scoping document for the strategic assessment document been made available to the general
public, as mentioned in table 13.1?
(6) If yes to (5), how and where?

Hon NORMAN MOORE replied:
I thank the member for some notice of this question.
(1)-(6) The terms of reference and guidelines for a report assessing the impacts of the plan for the Browse
Basin liquefied natural gas precinct were released for public comment in February 2008. This was in
accordance with the strategic assessment agreement entered into between the state and federal
governments in February 2008. A draft of the scoping document prepared subsequent to that public
consultation process was released to key environmental and industry stakeholders for comment in May
2009. The scoping document will be published on the Department of State Development website once
tenders have been called for the completion of the report. The consultative process for preparation of
the strategic assessment report is ongoing and includes analysis of environmental, economic and social
aspects of the development. Public forums are scheduled for mid-September. In accordance with the
agreed strategic assessment agreement process, the draft assessment report will be made available for
formal public comment when completed. In the interim, regular community updates on the project are
being published in the Broome Advertiser on a fortnightly basis, and relevant material is being
published on the Department of State Development website.

LNG is just another dirty fossil fuel

It is a great concern to Redhanded that the general public are being totally mislead about LNG being a clean fuel. Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG is just another dirty fossil fuel. It is produced by compressing and cooling natural gas to very low temperatures of about -160°C (-260°F). Natural gas is a combustible gas consisting mainly of methane (over 80% in volume) with varying quantities of ethane, propane, butane, nitrogen, and helium. Methane is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect, second only to carbon dioxide, and is about 21 times more powerful at warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. LNG has 35% higher lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions than coal .

Its principal uses are for fuel and for the production of chemical products such as fertilizers and plastics. In liquid state, natural gas occupies a volume about 600 times smaller than in gas state. Liquefying it makes it possible to transport it across great distances by ship or truck, allowing it to be extracted from countries that have natural gas resources and sold in countries that need it for their consumption. All of these steps leads to indirect environmental impacts, such as carbon dioxide emissions from changing from gas to liquid and then back again.

It is a major environmental concern over the LNG proliferation is that the billions of dollars now being invested into the LNG importation schemes will continue to delay - for decades - the necessary development of safe sustainable renewable energy sources.

Dampier Pennsula is burning

Country is burning, most of the western side of the Dampier Peninsula is on fire. Just south of James Price Point heading south west and fuelled by south easterlies and heading towards the coast. It is understood that the Department of Environment and Conservation believe these fires have been deliberately lit. Fires have been started the whole length of the Peninsular along the Cape Leveque Road. Redhand raised an eyebrow last week when it was observed on the Firenorth website that there was a sprinkling of fires on the southern eastern end of Coulomb Point Nature Reserve, a very inaccessible location with no access roads, difficult walking environment and certainly no lightning strike in the middle of the dry.
See www.firenorth.org.au

Thankyou for all your love & support