Beware the Trojan Horse

Serious disturbing information has been brought to Redhand’s attention. It has been said that the Department of State Development Director General Anne Nolan’s partner is employed by Woodside to oversee their security arrangements in Broome. If this is true then there needs to be some very serious questions asked of Ms Nolan both by the public, the media and within the state parliament itself.

Prior to the Christmas break there was a lot of activity in Country, with Woodside’s contracted mercenary security force called Hostile Environmental Services http://www.hostile1.com/Operations/tabid/55/Default.aspx running around country intimidating locals and visitors alike.

People who just happen to be out on family fishing or reefing trips, out collecting the local seasonal bush fruits, or just out for a weekend drive have been accosted by members of this company. (Only the rain has managed to stop them). There have been letters to the editor of the local newspaper complaining about their intimidation tactics on the locals. It has been reported that this company has chased individuals across Buckley’s Plains, entered into people’s camps without welcome, staked out prominent campaign leader’s streets, blocked access tracks, followed and filmed locals who are just out enjoying their weekends and their coastal lifestyles with family and friends. For all intent and purpose it appears that this Company is compiling dossiers on people.

Apparently, a number of personnel employed by Hostile Environmental Services have worked in Afghanistan for highly dubious private security firms. What does Woodside think they are playing at? Do they really think that by bringing this calibre of heavy security troupe into our town, into our community that it will stop or silence our very strong cohesive and consolidated community into submission? Woodside and for that matter the Department of State Development must understand that a very bright national and international spotlight is currently beamed squarely over the James Price Point issue and that nothing will go amiss! Facebook, Twitter and privately operated blogs like Hands Off Country will ensure the information and visual flow.

People of the Dampier Peninsular and Broome communities will not be stood over, bullied or bribed into this project. We will continue to champion our collective opposition to this proposed CO2 pumping, emission poisoning refineries, water hungry and totally social destructive enterprise. Can the Joint Ventures Partners ( BHP, Shell, BP and Chevron) honestly afford their brands to be associated with Woodside, a company prepared to use these types of strong arm and ominous tactics on community?

Just because Woodside wants to prove to the world, that they can be a stand alone company, that they are one of the big boys, let it be made very clear now, that it will not be at the expense of our iconic Broome, our peninsula communities, lifestyle, clean environment, our sense of place, our sustainability, or our cultural and heritage values.

The moment there is any movement to push this unwanted C02 generating, benzene pumping and fresh water draining LNG project into Country, whether it’s to build access tracks, take soil samples or undertake any form of drilling, it will not be the so called mad blackfellows or violent hippies that Woodside’s current middle management talk about who will be out protecting country, it will be the grandmothers of our community, with their grandchildren, it will be community women, young mothers and our children who will be standing up in front, to protect Country and our children’s future. And how will the Woodside’s senior management deal with “the old ladies and babies” who will never surrender?

What the State Government, Woodside and all the Joint Venture Partners need to really comprehend and appreciate is that these ever growing local, national and international campaigns to Save James Price Point will be as historical as Nookanbah, as challenging as The Franklin and as persistent as the Whale Wars.