Archive for August, 2011
Our national heritage needs protection, not just recognition
ENVIRONS KIMBERLEY
PRESS RELEASE
National Heritage listing provides formal recognition of the outstanding cultural and natural values of the West Kimberley, however listing alone will not protect the values this two year process has identified.
“This decision must be a call to action for the Australian government – it is not enough to merely recognise values. If the government is serious about our natural and cultural heritage, the Environment Minister must act to these values,” Environs Kimberley Acting Director Emma Belfield said today.
“Though today’s announcement will formally recognise the national significance of the Kimberley, it will not stop large scale industrial development,” Ms Belfield continued. To read press release in full, click here
Related Media coverage:
Heritage Listing too weak: green groups Perth Now
Kimberley Heritage Listing doesn’t please all Nine News online.
Heritage decision won’t halt industry The West Australian
Minister confirms Heritage Listing Sydney Morning Herald
Kimberley still threatened by LNG SBS World News story
Meanwhile, the Broome Community No Gas group had their own message for Minister Burke on the day of the National heritage announcement – see below for the banner unfurled on the pindan cliffs of James Price Point.
Photo credit: Jules Rau
Conservation groups slam marine plan
The West Australian
Conservation groups are far from pleased with draft sanctuaries for northern Australian waters.
Full article »
ABC Online
Conservationists criticise proposed marine park network
…… Patrick O’Leary says under the plan, 97 per cent of northern waters would still be open to fishing and mining.
“This plan delivers for big oil and big gas, it delivers for the trawlers,” he said.
“It does not deliver for conservation and the minister now has to really get to work to find out why his department has come out with this kind of a plan and to fix it up so that we can have something we can all be satisfied with is a proper and secure conservation plan for the future….” Full article »
See here for Save Our Tropical Sea Life alliance (Environs Kimberley is a member of this alliance)
See here for link to Commonwealth Government page with all draft documents and details.
Bilbies won’t delay Browse LNG: Woodside
AAP
Woodside Petroleum doesn’t expect the discovery of bilbies near its Browse liquefied natural gas project site will delay the planned development.
Broome locals last week released footage of the threatened species in areas surrounding the proposed gas processing site at James Price Point, in Western Australia’s Kimberley region, where land is being cleared for geotechnical studies.
The ground dwelling marsupials have been acknowledged as a vulnerable species by both the WA and federal governments.
Elder says plans for gas hub ‘rubbish’
18 August 2011
Radio National Broadcast from the blockade
To listen to the broadcast, click here. A transcript is included below.
TONY EASTLEY: The huge Browse Basin gas project on the Kimberley coast here at Broome is bigger than the north-west shelf, with 14 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves.
Passions are running high and in June protesters blocked a public road leading to the coast at James Price Point where the onshore gas processing plant is slated to be built.
A protesters camp and blockade has been set up just off the badly corrugated dirt road that leads down to the coast and to James Price Point. It’s the emotional heart and focus of the protest. » Full story
Gas hub rally tells Woodside to save bilbies
NICOLA KALMAR
The West Australian
Dozens of protesters congregated outside Woodside’s office in Broome this afternoon, urging the company to stop land clearing following the discovery of rare bilbies in its proposed gas hub precinct.
Last week, a live bilby was caught on camera after an extensive community-driven ecological at James Price Point. Footage of three baby bilbies has since emerged, and dozens of burrows and fresh tracks have been found.
The discoveries have prompted Environs Kimberley and other groups to demand that Woodside halt the clearing of vegetation at the project site. More>>
Destroying the Kimberley to mine gas benefits no one
John Butler
OPINION – The National Times
James Price Point in the Kimberley of Western Australia is the site of a battle over a bid to develop a gas hub. I write as someone who is not a fundamentalist, environmental, economic, political or otherwise. I’m not anti-development. If anything, I am a common “sense-ist”.
If a government or corporation can develop a given region or resource in an appropriate way, by all means go for it. If not? Sorry but no can do.
The Browse Basin gas fields off the coast of Broome can be exploited to the economic benefit of the country and its citizens without destroying one of the most pristine places on this planet, by piping down to existing facilities in the Pilbara or processing it off shore.
Gas hub opponents say bilbies threatened
FLIP PRIOR and NICOLA KALMAR, The West Australian
Gas hub opponents have used video said to be of three bilbies within an area scheduled to be cleared by Woodside to call for the $30b project to be stopped.
The video of three bilbies is said to have been taken last week, days after the first animal for two decades was spotted at the site, north of Broome.
Environs Kimberley director Martin Pritchard has again called on the Federal Government to intervene to stop land clearing.
Mr Pritchard said the Federal Government was yet to respond to his request for a stop-work order and a visit from Commonwealth environmental investigators.
“The Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has the powers to protect bilbies under Commonwealth environmental laws. We urge him to use his powers immediately,” he said.
He said it was the only recorded bilby population on the Dampier Peninsula and the first live bilbies found in the area since 1991.
Baby bilbies found at gas hub site
Narelle Towie, Environment Reporter
PerthNow
Three baby bilbies photographed where Woodside are clearing for the controversial James Price Point gas hub.
CONSERVATIONISTS have photographed three baby bilbies – a threatened species – where Woodside are clearing for the controversial James Price Point gas hub.
Environs Kimberley is calling for the Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke to immediately halt bulldozing for the controversial $30 billion project in the Kimberley.
3 baby Bilbies captured on camera in Kimberley – At risk from Woodside Petroleum bulldozers
Media Release – Environs Kimberley
3 baby Bilbies caught on camera over the weekend at James Price Point in the Kimberley are under immediate threat of bulldozing.
The exciting new find now confirms a significant population at the site of planned bulldozing for investigations into a $30 billion gas hub at James Price Point in the Kimberley.
The baby Bilbies are in addition to an adult found outside a burrow a week ago.
Conservationists are again calling on the Federal Environment Minister to intervene to stop the bulldozing of the site and undertake investigations into the Bilby population to make sure it is not harmed by landclearing.
“Last week we requested that Minister Burke take urgent action to protect this threatened species by putting a stop-work order on Woodside and by sending Commonwealth environment officers to investigate the site. Unfortunately we have yet to receive an official response” Environs Kimberley Director Martin Pritchard said.
“The Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has the powers to protect Bilbies under Commonwealth environmental laws. We urge him to use his powers immediately, before the bulldozer kills any endangered animals,” said Mr. Pritchard.
After $80 million worth of environmental studies by Woodside, including $3.848 million paid to AECOM Australia to prepare environmental studies and reports, Woodside claimed that no resident Bilby colonies were to be found at the project area, despite evidence such as burrows and diggings in a government report.
“We have requested Woodside stop landclearing so that the Bilby population is protected, we have yet to receive a response,” said Mr Pritchard.
“It’s very disappointing that Woodside will not commit to protecting this population by promising to stop any further bulldozing.” Mr Pritchard said.
This is the only recorded population on the Dampier Peninsula and the first live Bilbies found in the area since 1991.
Footage and still photos of a Bilby at the site were taken on the weekend by an ecologist and community members concerned about the proposed works.
For further comment: Martin Pritchard 0427 548 075
Science has been stripped down to the bare bones this week for the Science Week Festival 2011: Naked Science.
Richard Costin & Neil McKenzie. Image courtesy of the West online
Science has been stripped down to the bare bones this week for the Science Week Festival 2011: Naked Science.
The national festival is this year celebrating science based on observation and using simple tools and events in Broome start on Sunday.
A highlight is set to be a conversation with Yawuru traditional owner Neil McKenzie on Saturday, August 20.
He will cover changes to Yawuru and Kimberley coastal land over time, from the perspective of traditional owners.
“It’s a story of what life was like here before the effects of industry, pollution and population increase, and how the biodiversity of Roebuck Bay has been affected,” he said. For full article»