Values People hold for their Broome Community

A few months ago there was the perception that community opinion was evenly divided over the proposed Kimberley LNG Precinct development at Walmadan (James Price Point). Now after some time on the streets in the CBD Chinatown and shopping centres there appears to have been an enormous shift of community opinion. A shift in attitude and support away from the development, this is after a gradual release of information into the public arena.

The Premier’s constant reference to James Price Point going ahead has only added to the community’s mistrust of the Government's process. Where is the integrity, probity, community engagement, community discourse and permission given? How can we trust that stakeholder meetings, potential forums, future reports and public review periods will be of any value, when he tells us it’s a done deal?

Redhand asks. ‘What are the three things that you value most about Broome?’

Overwhelmingly, the values of community, lifestyle, multiculturalism, beaches, fishing, fresh air and clean environment top the values reported. Now people are realising that these precious values are the very things that will be eroded away, even destroyed. There is a rising disquiet and call to action to tell the Government to include us in the process. Allow us to issue the social licence to operate this proposal which will dominate the landscape and destroy Broome’s lifestyle and community. The Broome community is committed to ensuring it’s not going to happen. The State Government's rhetoric isn’t working. People of Broome are realising that a handful of jobs is not worth the destruction of Broome’s community values and the total upheaval to their way of life. The Broome Community will not roll over on this.
YOUR VALUES welcomed in comments.
Hands off country.

Following is a social impact statement about life in the Industrial Pilbara of Western Australia

Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 03, 2009 at 01:17
Flywest replied:
Rents is a killer if you don't have your accoms provided.
The beachfront house we had in Pt samson used to rent out for $2K a week. Karratha prices aren't much better. Karratha has OK shopping and Hospitals etc.

Works easy to find - when we were there within the last 12 months, EVERY business in the LIA had "staff wanted" signs posted out front. Heres the problem

Even if you made sandwiches at the lunch shop in the LIA and they paid you 2K a week(which they won't/can't), your rent on a grass square in the Cvan park to put up a tent was about $600 a week. Add in fuel near 2 ucks a liter and food at 2 times the cost of Perth supermarkets and you couldn;t afford to live.

Same with a tradesman.Say he needs to make, $1K a week to provide / run his work ute and tools and maintenance etc, then he needs say $1500 a week for a SMALL 3drm house....thats $2.5 K a week before he gets any takehome pay - as an employer you HAVE to pay $4 or $5 a week to be able to get anyone to work and stay!

There’s heaps and heaps of work - its just that unless you have a parent that owns a house there and cheap rent - you can't make any cash there.... Some of the businesses have houses they bought 20 years ago that they use as part of the job package to be able to attract tradesmen at a wage they can afford. Anyone like refrigeration mechanics and diesel fitters etc - can find MORE work than you can poke a stick at - its just that unless you charge out at $1K a DAY - you can't survive up there, because things are so expensive. Which employers gonna pay you $5K a week (250K a year) to work up there?

NONE!
That’s why EVERY business in the LIA has staff wanted signs and can't get or keep staff! That’s WHY all the mining companies prefer to fly their workers in out rather than accommodate them. Staff are so short, the mining companies are chartering jets from the airport to Brisbane and back once a week on Tuesdays to try and get workers outta Queensland - the sparky who rewired our fuse board, was from Brisbane I kid you not. 2 days work $5K

The mining companies charter jets to fly Port Headland to Karratha and back every day so their staff can get the few available accoms in Pt Headland and work in Karratha, its cheaper than building staff accoms in Karratha.

A plumbing job that cost me $270 in parts and took me 2 hours was quoted at $2.7K by the local plumbers. NOTHING in Karratha involving a tradesman costs under a grand - in fact unless you pay em a grand they won't even come and quote - thats what their time is worth to them. We waited over 3 months for a refrigeration guy to come back and finish a air con job - and he never showed, in the end I bought a part myself off the internet had it posted and fixed it myself.

There simply are very very few eligible young women in the Karratha area, compared to the numbers of randy young fly in fly out guys and permanent workers. Those that are there get hassled so much it’s a REAL problem in the community.

Sand flies are the killer in the heat & 44 is a good day, 48 is HOT! The heat takes it's toll - lots of the big supply wholesale businesses are in big warehouses (steel) with limited if any air con... In summer - the staff when you walk in for service have that dehydrated / disinterested / don't want to be here/ don't want to service you, look on their face and you can hardly blame them, it is oppressive humid heat in the monsoon season is the ONLY way to describe it. Quite simply if you don't have job on offer paying at least 300 - 350 K a year - then your wasting your time even thinking about going there.

Karratha is not all it is cracked up to be if you don't have high wage fly in fly out company accoms etc. Look at all the Shire of Roebourne (Karratha Offices) vacancies advertised in every Saturdays west! They offer salaries packages around 100K including state govt housing - and can't get or keep staff! That’s just my and my family’s opinion tho - we still have some close friends who live there, and have for years and love it.

It depends a LOT on what you expect and want outta the place.

Cheers