Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Broome Community are locking Woodside and their Contractors Out Of Country.





Why the Broome Community is locking Woodside and their Contractors

Out Of Country.

1. We, the Broome Community are;

Ø Standing with the Indigenous People who are standing up and protecting their: Law, Culture, Heritage and Country. We assert the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Article 10 Indigenous peoples shall not be forcibly removed from their lands or territories. No relocation shall take place without the free, prior and informed consent of the indigenous peoples concerned and after agreement on just and fair compensation and, where possible, with the option of return.

Article 25 Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinctive spiritual relationship with their traditionally owned or otherwise occupied and used lands, territories, waters and coastal seas and other resources and to uphold their responsibilities to future generations in this regard.

2. On Thursday the 9th and Friday 10th of June, Joseph Roe, met with departmental executives from the Department of Indigenous Affairs office in Broome with footage and GPS maps proving that extensive and totally unacceptable destruction has already occurred on and within Aboriginal Heritage registered and non- registered Sites in the course of Woodside’s preliminary on-ground works. Two DIA representatives were taken into Country and Phillip Roe walked them through Country showing the damage. That there is already significant damage at this early stage does not bode well for respect for cultural heritage once actual construction, and later gas plant operation begins.

Ø We are insisting that the Department of Indigenous Affairs use its powers under the Aboriginal Heritage Act to issue a “cease-work order” immediately as this is the standard first response to allegations of damage to Aboriginal registered Heritage Sites.

3. We are requesting Federal Environment Minister, the Hon Tony Burke exercise his powers under ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ACT 1999 - SECT 70

Under this legislation, the Minister may request referral of proposal :

(1) If the Minister believes a person proposes to take an action that the Minister thinks may be or is a controlled action, the Minister may request:

(a) the person; or

(b) a State, self-governing Territory or agency of a State or self-governing Territory that the Minister believes has administrative responsibilities relating to the action;

to refer the proposal to the Minister within 15 business days or a longer period agreed by the Minister and the requested person, State, Territory or agency (as appropriate).

SECT 18

Actions with significant impact on listed threatened species or endangered community prohibited without approval

Species that are extinct in the wild

(1) A person must not take an action that:

(a) has or will have a significant impact on a listed threatened species included in the extinct in the wild category; or

(b) is likely to have a significant impact on a listed threatened species included in the extinct in the wild category.

SECT 18A

Offences relating to threatened species etc.

(1) A person is guilty of an offence if:

(a) the person takes an action; and

(b) the action results or will result in a significant impact on:

(i) a species; or

(ii) an ecological community; and

(c) the species is a listed threatened species, or the community is a listed threatened ecological community.

4. The Australian Heritage Council has recommended to the Minister for Environment that this coastline, earmarked for the proposed Kimberley gas hub, be declared a national heritage site. In its final report to the Government, the Australian Heritage Council expanded the recommended boundary to include Dampier Peninsula.

Ø We are calling on Commonwealth Government to declare the 20-million hectares of the West Kimberley a national heritage area as soon as possible in order to have this coastal strip protected under the National Heritage Act.

5. We are only prepared to negotiate the safe removal of all Woodside’s equipment currently in Country, without delay.


SBS Podcasts : Podcasts: Radionews

SBS Podcasts : Podcasts: Radionews

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

PROTESTORS STOP WOODSIDE JAMES PRICE POINT

If ever there was a time for Broome people to stand up and be counted and to take some action, now is it. The bulldozer and other earth moving and drilling machinery, support equipment and crew is out there ready to destroy the very bush, country and natural wonders of James Price Point, Quondong and surrounds we love. Currently the movement of equipment is at a standstill while the Police delay in detaching the man they have arrested, from the bulldozer. This is likely to happen early tomorrow morning and the blockade needs to stand firm and stop that equipment moving. While the State Government will allow under the auspices of the Land Administration Act and any new regulations or processes the Department of State Development might instigate Woodside intends to clear 25 hectares. Clearing Permit: ftp://ftp.dec.wa.gov.au/Permit/3771/Permit/CPS 3771 - Woodside Energy Limited - Lot 259 on Plan 220696 and Manari Road Reserve Waterbank - Shire of Broome - Permit Plan and Decision Report. The Federal Environment Minister has not yet made any approvals for this project.

Apparently, now any queries directed to the Department of Environment or the EPA are to be responded to by State Development. Remind yourself, the State is the applicant, developer, assessor and referrer of this project. It's disappointing to hear Woodside in their public statement today ask for respect for the Traditional Owners decision. Yes, the land owners may well have made a decision to support the precinct for a billion $ deal (proudly announced by the Premier on ABC Radio 10 days before the vote was taken by Traditional Owners.) However Land owners have a moral responsibility to know that what is developed on their land does not impact on the environment and on the social values of Broome. Just like the State (and Commonwealth) has a moral responsibility to deliver services equitably across the State. Once the country is destroyed it will never return to the wilderness it is today not after 99 or even 30 years of gas processing. The Joint Venture partners, Shell, BP, BHP and Chevron would do well to sit up and take notice.

Earlier today:

MEDIA RELEASE -BROOME COMMUNITY NO GAS CAMPAIGN

Woodside Petroleum has been delayed in their attempt to clear 25 hectares of Kimberley bush near James Price Point. Members of the Broome community this morning blocked the bulldozer headed for the controversial proposed gas refinery. Police were called to the protests. “This is appalling behaviour by Woodside, they do not have State or Federal Government approval for the gas refinery project. They are literally bulldozing the Kimberley, the Broome Community and the State and Federal Government process to select the site for gas refineries to process Browse Basin gas.” The Federal Government has ultimate responsibility for this.

The Broome community is calling on the Federal Minister for the Environment Tony Burke and Federal Minister for Industry Martin Ferguson to reign in Woodside and the State Government.

Protesters are concerned that the gas refineries will be the foot in the door to industrialise the Kimberley.

WA Premier Colin Barnett is on the record saying that he’d like the Kimberley to be the next Pilbara, expanding the heavily industrialised North West of Western Australia.

“The International Community need to know that the Western Australian Government is intent on destroying the Kimberley and that Woodside, BP, BHP, Shell and Chevron are part of this plan. This is at the time when the world is just beginning to understand the global, natural and cultural wonders of the Kimberley.

MEDIA RELEASE - PROTESTER LOCKED ON TO BULLDOZER ON MANARI ROAD NEAR JAMES PRICE POINT

BROOME COMMUNITY NO GAS CAMPAIGN

This morning the Broome Community no gas campaign stopped Woodside’s bulldozer and clearing equipment on the Manari Road. Currently a protester is locked onto the bulldozer just south of Quondong on the Manari Road preventing the Woodside clearing equipment advancing along the road to the proposed 25 hectare clearing site.

The Broome community is calling on the Federal Minister for Environment to intervene and to stop the clearing until this project has the required approvals to go ahead.




Thanks Marion.
Other media today:

hometed 11

ABC NEWS
http://www.abc.net.au/kimberley/

THE WEST
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/9594615/gas-protesters-block-woodside-vehicles/

Further good news today.
The Australian Heritage Council recommends to the Minister ( Tony Burke) that the Dampier Peninsula coastline be included in the West Kimberley National Heritage listing. The Minister is due to make his decision by 30th June.

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201106/s3237842.htm

Monday, June 6, 2011

Continued destruction Walmadan, Imbalala, Kundandu and Murrjal



The Walmadan Camp mob have tried to draw people’s attention to the destruction of the Holocene sand dunes, the ancient Middens and burial sites between James Price Point and Quondong, by Woodside buggies, for the last three weeks.

The Walmadan mob compiled a selection of photos and videos illustrating the damage that had occurred. All this damage made by cutting these new tracks were GPSed and plotted onto a Google Earth Map, by the Walmadan mob. All of this information was made available to the local DEC office.

Alan Byrne, the West Kimberley Regional Manager made a trip out to the Walmandan Camp to view the damage for himself and left the impression that this issue would be taken seriously by his Department.

Alan stated “I would never ever think about driving on those dunes”

For the last 20 years the Broome Shire, Coast Care, Broome Bird Observatory, the Department of Environment and Conservation, Coast West, and the Goolarabooloo Seaside Culture have all been involved at one stage or other in caring for this coastline and the Lurujarri Heritage Trail and Cultural Songline.

The rehabilitation of these dunes, the closing off of illegal offroad vehicle tracks and the removal of invasive weeds has all been part of these rehabilitation undertakings. All this work has been trashed within days of these buggies entering Country.

Walmadan camp followed the issue up with Bell Catcheside, from DEC and she informed the camp that the issue is now between DEC (head office in Perth) and Woodside. The following day, DEC stated “that all complaints or enquiries would need to be directed to the Department of State Development”.

This situation is totally unsatisfactory given the fact the DSD is the proponent and this also raises very serious questions and concerns about state government departments: processes; lack of impartiality and their lack of actions under their legislated obligations.

The situation remains grave in country. The Buggies continue to rip up the dunes, burial sites and the ancient Middens unabated. New tracks, are being made daily, widening their existing damage and breaking out into additional areas.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Leaking pipes spill oil across Barrow Island | Perth Now


Leaking pipes spill oil across Barrow Island | Perth Now

No Man's Land - Observer: State Wants December Deadline for Gas Hub Land Guarantee

No Man's Land - Observer: State Wants December Deadline for Gas Hub Land Guarantee

The WA government has its sights on a December deadline to guarantee Woodside access to land required for an LNG precinct at James Price Point a court heard today.

Counsel foir the Minister for Lands, Brendan Grylls, told a directions hearing in the Supreme Court that this timeframe was ahead of Woodside's investment decision on the projects scheduled for the middle of next year.

The hearing, before WA Chief Justice Wayne Martin, was was to determine a path through the court system for a challenge brought by traditional owners against the state's Minister for Lands.

Supreme Court compulsory acquisition challenge, James Price Point


A Supreme Court challenge McKenzie & Anor v. Minister for Lands (CIV 1742/2011) to the State Government's handling of the Kimberley gas hub process is due to go before the Hon. The Chief Justice, Court 11 at 9.30am today.
This is a directional hearing only.

Last month, two members Neil McKenzie and Phillip Roe from the Native Title claim group launched a last minute appeal against any deal being signed.

The group argues the Government's application for compulsory acquisition of land at James Price Point is fundamentally flawed and any subsequent deal reached is not legal.