Greens member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Robin Chapple MLC has responded with incredulity to the State Government’s decision to release the Environmental Protection Authority’s Assessment report into the Browse LNG Precinct at James Price Point.
“The Government has set a new, even lower standard in environmental protection,” Mr Chapple said.
“The Minister for the Environment’s action in releasing the report of the EPA Chairman, who was the sole Board member left after the other four members were stood aside because of conflicts of interest in relation to Woodside, may well be legal but it lacks integrity.
“The report is marred by a lack of professionalism and independence, which should be the necessary hallmarks of the EPA.
“The process has been dogged by drama and incompetence andmuch of the science that the recommendations are based upon has been criticized by peer review, including the failure to find Bilbies and understating the significance of the dinosaur footprints, which are internationally lauded.
“To allow just two weeks for appeals to be prepared in response to the 379-page report is unreasonable and unjust and adds insult to injury.
“The Barnett-Grylls Government, who is the proponent of the development, has made no secret of the fact that they will stop at nothing to ensure the Browse LNG precinct goes ahead at James Price Point.
“So it is no surprise that the EPA has made recommendations for conditional approval of the project, what else would they do!
“This is politics at its worst and I see no reason for the public to have any confidence in the WA government ruling for any except the corporate end of town.
“The Federal Government must step in and prevent this environmental vandalism from taking place.”
For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255
