NW Petrochemicals should not be deferred for 4 years.

July 24, 2002 - Greens (WA) spokesperson on industrial development, Robin Chapple, today welcomed the news that the government would carry out a four-year study into the impacts of Nox and Sox on the Rock Art Galleries of the Burrup.

However, Mr Chapple is critical of the government for continuing its support of the Burrup site and indicating it would go ahead with planned fuel and gas processing plants without awaiting the results of the planned impact study. He says that it makes more sense to move the proposed industry to Maitland without delay.

Two days ago Mr Chapple supported the Premiers statement 'They (environmental impacts) must be integrated into everything we do and it must be done from the start - not bolted on afterwards.'

Mr Chapple said that the Government should be using the 'precautionary principle', part of its own 2001 Election Environment Platform, which would ensure that industrial development could not go ahead on the Burrup until after the conclusion of the four-year study.

'A four year delay while this study is carried out is unacceptable and the indication that the government is willing to go ahead with development prior to the study's completion is even more ludicrous. The government must immediately support industry moving to the adjacent environmentally approved Maitland Industrial Estate,' said Mr Chapple.

'Maitland is one of the worlds most secure sites for the development of downstream processing of gas. This is a site where industry could be confident that emissions would not harm either the Karratha community or Indigenous heritage, a site where site works would be far less expensive for all proponents now and into the future.'

'We have many quality, international developers wanting access to our WA resources, lets provide them with a long term expandable dedicated area for investment. Any delay by government is going to be costly to industry and the state,' concluded Mr Chapple.

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