Thursday, July 28, 2011

Chevron secures LNG deal - ABC Kimberley WA - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Chevron secures LNG deal - ABC Kimberley WA - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Defenders of James Price Point Have Their Day In Court

Nearly all of the 26 arrested on what is now referred to as Black Tuesday, for standing up to protect James Price Point,appeared in Magistrate’s Court this morning, in Broome .

Two pleaded not guilty and their court case was set down for Sept the 9th.

Twelve were adjourned for legal advice till the 9th of September.

Ten pleaded guilty and received fines. Fines ranged from $150 to $400 plus Court costs of $64.

Bail was extended without conditions allowing people back into Country.

Jan Lewis’ statement to the Court after her plea of guilty.

I am 60 years old. I have lived in Broome since 1998, prior to that in Wyndham and Kununurra. It is my intention to spend the rest of my life in Broome, in the home I have purchased and in the environment that I love.

I am a semi-retired consultant; formerly a Commonwealth public servant. The character statements I have presented to the court testify to the responsible positions I held and my diligence and reliability. I have never previously been arrested or charged with any criminal activity. Most of my time is now devoted to self-funded bird research.

The decision to take non-violent direct action on July 5th was not taken lightly. I felt I had no other option as the normal checks and balances that govern a resource development are absent in the current situation. When the WA government is the developer and controls the departments that should watch over environmental and cultural heritage, when the media is only interested in reporting sensations rather than investigating a situation, when taking legal action is beyond my financial means, what other option do I have but civil disobedience?

On July 5th I sat on the Manari Road and refused to move because I believed the actions that Woodside and their contractors proposed to take were both illegal and immoral.

Illegal because they did not have the permits required to disturb known Aboriginal heritage sites, and said they did not require them. When in the position of secretary of the Broome Bird Observatory Management Committee I had direct experience of the requirements of Section 18 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act. When we wanted to dig 6 holes to install new solar panels we had to consult with and get the permission of traditional owners and have an anthropologist on site when the holes were dug. Why should a small organisation have to stick to the requirements of the law but a huge corporation be exempt? I was also aware that a complaint about Woodside’s damage to cultural sites was already being investigated by the Dept of Indigenous Affairs and did not believe further work should occur until the outcome of that investigation was known.

And immoral: The proposed project has not yet had environmental sign off from either the WA Environmental Protection Authority or the Federal Minister for the Environment, and may not receive that approval. The tests Woodside proposed to conduct involved disturbance of a huge area of country - the 25 hectares advertised was to be spread over several kilometres of pristine bush – in an area known to be prime bilby habitat. Experience shows this type of clearing provides a conduit for the invasion of weeds and feral animals. I did not believe that such large-scale destruction of the bush should occur before environmental approval for the project has occurred and it is certain that the project will proceed.

I believe what occurred subsequent to my arrest proved my decision to be correct. Sacred cultural heritage sites were bulldozed. The aerial shots of the clearing that has occurred reveal the full extent of the destruction.

So, yes I plead guilty to failing to obey an instruction from a police officer, but I believed and continue to believe that the reality of the situation justified my action.

Jan Lewis
28/7/2011

DeChristopher sentenced to prison, 26 protesters arrested | The Salt Lake Tribune

Lets hope that the 25 people who are attending court this morning, in Broome for standing up for Country, Culture, Heritage and Community are not dealt with such harsh punishment as DeChristopher.

DeChristopher sentenced to prison, 26 protesters arrested | The Salt Lake Tribune

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

‪Geoffrey Cousins talks about Woodside and the Kimberley Crisis - Part One‬‏ - YouTube



‪Geoffrey Cousins talks about Woodside and the Kimberley Crisis - Part One‬‏ - YouTube

Geoffrey Cousins, outspoken business leader and former adviser to the Howard government addresses the BROOME BUSINESS COMMUNITY about the impeding crisis in the Dampier Peninsula, the immoral activities of WOODSIDE and the future of THE KIMBERLEY.
Talk presented at the Broome convention centre, 16th July, 2001

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I7DG6GVi2E Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6BBaqwhaGg Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35wFK1eFyGM Part 3

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Whale watching near Walmadan (JPP) July 26, 2011.

Go to the following link to view the whales themselves within metres of the coastline at Quondong, just south of James Price Point.
Whale watching near Walmadan (JPP) July 26, 2011.

Redhand saw 21 whales in five minutes, on the weekend within 2 kms from the coast, just off Quondong, traveling north towards James Price Point. Redhand, like many others are sick of Woodside: lying about the science, buying the science and the distortion of facts by the Department of State Development.Its a crime of the highest order, the undermining of knowledge. The whale reports like some of the other reports (Turtles, Bilbies, Monsoonal Vine Thickets,coral reefs, sponge gardens, the seagrass fields, dinosaurs)were either produced by Woodside's sponsored fraudulent conspirators or public servants working for the State Development Development, the proponent for the proposed doomed oil/gas refineries, at James Price Point.

Now, look what Woodside are planning to do in the coming weeks, in the middle of the Humpback's migration and calving season.
. Nearshore Geotechincal Survey.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Dugong deaths 'ecological disaster'

"The dredging and blasting of seabed and reefs at JPP would lead to a 50km² ‘marine deadzone’ (2,400 times Subiaco oval) according to government reports"
"Dugongs travel up and down the Peninsula and are likely to feed on all the patches of seagrass that lie off the coast. We don’t know how taking out a massive area in the middle would affect them but the article below gives us some clues."

Martin Pichard, Environs Kimberley


Dugong deaths 'ecological disaster'

Monday, July 25, 2011

James Price Point gas hub‎ fight intensifies : World News Australia on SBS

James Price Point gas hub‎ fight intensifies : World News Australia on SBS

Kimberley heritage listing NOW! - The Wilderness Society

Kimberley heritage listing NOW! - The Wilderness Society

Opinion: Woodside ‘offensive and disrespectful’ says Dodson » Kimberley Page


Opinion: Woodside ‘offensive and disrespectful’ says Dodson » Kimberley Page

MEDIA RELEASE

YAWURU NATIVE TITLE HOLDERS ANGRY AT WOODSIDE FOR DISRESPECTING THEIR COUNTRY

The Chairman of the Yawuru Native Title Holders Corporation, Patrick Dodson, has expressed dismay at Woodside’s admission that they have used Yawuru land in an attempt to bypass protesters opposed to Woodside’s clearance work near James Price Point.

Mr Dodson described Woodside and its contractor’s unauthorised use of Yawuru land by heavy vehicles as offensive and disrespectful to Yawuru people. “Woodside should be aware of the Yawuru Native Title determination and respect the Yawuru people in our own country. Its actions raises serious concerns about their commitment to understanding fundamental issues of Aboriginal sense of Country and protocols,” Mr Dodson said.

“It is becoming clear that Woodside does not understand the meaning of native title rights which is of serious concern to Yawuru native title holders given that Woodside is increasingly operating on Yawuru country as it prepares its LNG development plans.”

“I have written to Woodside’s head of the Browse project, Michael Hession to express Yawuru native title holders sense of anger and bitter disappointment over Woodside’s conduct which puts serious questions around Woodside’s civic sensibilities. Woodside and its partners need to be on notice they have to lift their game if they wish to be considered decent corporate citizens,” Mr Dodson said.

Are Yawuru aware that the police are also using these access tracks?

Friday, July 22, 2011

Drillers needing hugs



It appears that the drillers on Manari Road are not having any luck in obtaining good core samples and according to their white board are needing a hug.

However, it doesn’t stop them moving the drilling rig further up the road yesterday with the assistance of the WA police force.

Kimberley too precious to turn into an industrial site



AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

MEDIA RELEASE

22 July 2011

Kimberley too precious to turn into an industrial site

The Australian Conservation Foundation has expressed serious concern about large scale land clearing at James Price Point, 20km north of Broome, prior to final Federal government approval of a controversial gas hub at the site.

Land clearing should not be going ahead prior to a rigorous state and federal government environmental impact assessment process, said the Australian Conservation Foundation Kimberley Project Officer Wade Freeman.

“ACF is concerned this project may damage invaluable dinosaur footprints along the coastline.

“It is premature for Woodside to be clearing land, as well as moving offshore jack-up (ocean drilling) rigs to James Price Point, before federal government approval.

“The Federal Environment Minister should intervene to put an immediate halt to this premature development at James Price Point and make sure the right and proper processes are followed.

“The natural and cultural values of the Kimberley are simply too great for major industrialisation and all the impacts that will flow from it for the Kimberley region. There should be a renewed effort to find appropriate alternative sites for processing the gas outside the Kimberley.”

For more information please contact:

Wade Freeman - 0437 107 605

James Norman - 0415248768

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

BILBY RECEIVES MOVE ON NOTICE FROM COUNTRY

In the early hours of this morning, one of the local wildlife visited the Woodside compound to investigate what was destroying her habitat. She was joined by 36 friends and together were able to delay, blockade and stop work for several hours. Some concerned citizens made it to both drills sites after creating additions barriers to delay destruction. Two locals and one bilby were issued with move on notices. Later in the morning another huge front end loader was delivered to the compound site.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Celebrate the spirit of Broome and the Kimberley
Families Culture Country


“Broome is a special town, the heart of the Kimberley. We love it for its sense of community, spirit, cultural mix, family values, red dirt, clean blue seas and skies.
If you live here, you know what we’re talking about. If you’re passing through you’ll know what we mean before you leave.
It’s time to celebrate what we have. Come together and make sure we protect our family values, vibrant community and environment.....”

Hands off country

Beach gig joins fight against gas hub - The West Australian

Beach gig joins fight against gas hub - The West Australian

Save The Kimberley






Save The Kimberley


Broome celebrates FAMILY, CULTURE, COUNTRY in typical Broome style,on the beach at sunset. The Broome families deputation that went to Canberra a few weeks ago were told by the Federal Minister for the Environment, Tony Burke that if this delegation can go back to Broome and clearly demonstrate that the Broome community does not want the proposed doomed gas hub, then he would listen to the people. Well, Minister Burke open your ears, your eyes and your heart. Broome will never, ever issue Woodside the social licence to operate. Woodside and the state government thought they had put the community back in its place by beating us into submission with assistance from the WA police force, but this is further from the truth. We will never give up.Our resolve has strengthened and we will continue to celebrate all that we hold dear and sacred.

Save The Kimberley (1)
Clink on for Aerial shots of the afternoon

Saturday, July 16, 2011

THEY RIP EVERYTHING FROM US




How can this destruction be considered "not significant clearing" under the WA Land Administration Act? DOUBLE CLINK IMAGES, TAKING YESTERDAY, TO ENLARGE.



The Department of Indigenous Affairs have been investigating all week, Joe Roe's complaints about damage to significant Cultural Heritage Sites.

Meanwhile, clearing has continued and 360 pits 200 x 200 metres, 5 metres deep are being carved into Country.

Woodside are bulldozing all legislation, regardless of any of the Laws or Orders.
Approvals obtained or permits granted by state government departments to Woodside are highly questionable and politically manufactured.

The state government is after all, the proponent for these doomed gas refineries and its because of this fact that all associated Acts have been compromised or manipulated to fit.