Bullying tactics used in push to industrialise the Kimberley.

Right now, the Kimberley is under threat like never before. The WA government, the Federal Resources Minister (Martin Ferguson) and the company Woodside Ltd have activated a time bomb set to explode in the Kimberley.

An endangered green turtle plays in the shallows at James Price Point, will you help to protect this special place? Photo (c) Rod Hartvigsen, Murranji Photography

Despite the grim warning of the recent Kimberley oil spill the rush continues to build a huge, polluting ‘Kimberley gas hub’ at James Price Point on the Kimberley coast, 50km north of Broome.  This push to industrialise the Kimberley coast is occuring despite there being technically and economically viable alternatives that would be less environmentally destructive, such as processing in the Pilbara region which already has established industrial infrastructure.

If this proposal were to go ahead the impacts would include reef blasting and dredging, damaging crucial habitat for dugong, turtles and thousands of Humpback Whales which use the Kimberley coast as a nursery.

The Commonwealth and WA State governments are trying to threaten and bully reluctant oil and gas companies, Traditional Owners and the local Broome community to accept the Kimberly gas hub proposal.
 
In the latest development (9th Feb 2010) the Woodside joint venture partners BP, Shell, Chevron and
BHP have responded to a deadline on gas lease renewals set by Mr Ferguson. These companies have been forced to agree to an initial investment in the James Price Point location, though a final investment decision is still a long way off.

Mr Ferguson’s deadline was designed to preempt:

• The State and Commonwealth environmental assessment process,
• The Federal government’s own heritage listing and marine protection processes,
• Indigenous consent processes

As we have seen with the Tasmanian pulpmill fiasco, when government ministers intervene to pre-empt and fast-track decision making processes, every one loses – including big corporations!

Other examples of bullying tactics include the WA State Premier Colin Barnett’s threat of compulsory land acquisition if Traditional Owners do not agree and the dismantling of the consultative site selection process set up under the former government.

The Wilderness Society will continue to build on the large and growing movement opposing this reckless proposal and investigate all options, including legal challenges, to make sure that the Kimberley is protected from inappropriate and unsustainable development.

Take action today!

The Wilderness Society activists reacted to the recent announcement by cordoning off the Woodside HQ in Perth with tape and declaring Woodside an environmental hazard.

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