Prosecute Shanghai Zenith for unauthorised land-clearing in the Kimberley

The Kimberley’s tropical savannah is the most intact in the world.

It is home to threatened species like the Bilby and iconic trees like the Boab. Traditional Owners describe the bush as their ‘supermarket’: the source of their food, and where they take their children to gain knowledge about their past and present.

We were shocked to hear that a large area of bushland had been destroyed on Yakka Munga pastoral lease, 120km east of Broome in the Fitzroy River catchment in June.

Rosita Shaw with a destroyed Boab tree

Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Alannah MacTiernan said in the WA Parliament, "As far as we understand, this has occurred without any authorisation."

The Traditional Owners are extremely distressed and invited us out to witness the destruction, and asked for our support to stop the landclearing. Together we achieved this, but it doesn’t end there. Great damage has been done to the savannah and deep channels have been dug into the landscape.

Traditional Owners blockading Yakka Munga

We are calling on the WA Government, through the Environment Minister Stephen Dawson, to prosecute Shanghai Zenith (a subsidiary of Shanghai CRED) for the unauthorised clearing. We also want the Government to ensure Shanghai Zenith restores the landscape it has bulldozed and excavated to its natural condition, and re-plants the site with native vegetation.

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Check out drone footage of the clearing

Traditional Owners calling on Premier Mark McGowan to stop the clearing

Speak out against land-clearing in the Kimberley

    Dear Minister Dawson,

    Thank you for issuing a vegetation conservation notice to Shanghai Zenith to stop them clearing more native bushland on their Yakka Munga pastoral lease in the Kimberley's Fitzroy River catchment. I am shocked at the bulldozing and excavating they have done without permits. This shows a complete disregard for the Kimberley’s ecosystems, one of the most intact tropical savannahs on the planet. It greatly distressed me to see the Traditional Owners’ anguish at the destruction of medicine plants, fruit trees, including Boabs, and termite mounds, which were often used for storing ancestral remains.

    I now strongly urge you to prosecute Shanghai Zenith. In the past, pastoralists have got away with landclearing with fines of as little as $50 per hectare or even just a letter of warning – these aren’t a deterrent. A fine was probably factored in to the business plans of the companies concerned. It is very important that this company be prosecuted and heavily fined to deter other pastoralists from doing the same thing. I also ask you to consider legislating higher minimum penalties for unauthorised land clearing.

    I also strongly urge you to ensure that Shanghai Zenith restores the landscape it has bulldozed and excavated to its natural condition, and re-plants the site with native vegetation.

    Yours Sincerely,
    [Your name will be automatically added]

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