A Very Merry Christmas to All – and Thank-you
First of all I want to wish all of our members and supporters a very safe, sustainable and magical festive season.
I also want to say a huge thank you to those of you who have stood with us, with many conservation organisations and with the people of the Kimberley to oppose the Browse LNG Precinct proposal by Woodside.
The wet season arrives in Kalumburu - Photo Robin Chapple
Browse LNG Precinct
Having fought the proposal to build an industrial complex and gas processing facility at James Price Point now for many years, it is with more than a little sadness that we see the Browse Bill pushed through Parliament at the 11th hour. I spoke for over three hours on the last day of sitting on this issue - you can read my speech here: http://www.robinchapple.com/browse-land-agreement-bill-2012
Opposing Woodside’s Request for Derived Proposal
We have raised a submission against the request by Woodside to have their plans for the Browse development considered a ‘derived proposal’, which would allow Woodside to go ahead with their plans without any further environmental assessment. Only seven days was provided for public comment on this request. The Browse LNG precinct has the capacity to add up to a massive 41 MTPA CO2-e to Australia’s emissions profile, as much as 52% of WA’s total emissions, with no abatement plan, which should deem it non-compliant with the requirements for a ‘derived proposal’ by the EPA’s own standards.
Grylls Bungles JPP Acquisition Again
And now we see that this government has once again mishandled the compulsory acquisition of land at James Price Point. This is the second time the Government has botched the acquisition of land for the Browse LNG hub by failing to carry out what should be a procedural matter.
Just a few short weeks ago, on 19 November, Premier Colin Barnett issued a statement saying the agreement reached with Traditional Owners had been in accordance with the Commonwealth Native Title process under the supervision of the Federal Court. Now we find this is not the case. This tops anything we have previously seen from this government and I don’t think it can be put down to incompetence alone.
Chatting to the Locals in Kalumburu - not sure who's older!
The Ord River Scheme Sold Off for a Little Sugar
This government is continually handing over our assets to foreign investment with little, if any regard for cultural or heritage concerns. In November the decision was made to award right to develop 13,400 hectares of prime Ord-East Kimberley Expansion Project land to Kimberley Agricultural Investment, an Australian company wholly owned by the Chinese real estate company Shanghai Zhongfu. Almost the entire Ord irrigation area will now be dedicated to growing sugar, exporting sugar and producing sugar-based products such as ethanol and fibre board.
To allocate large tracts of land to foreign investors above the interests of Australian companies, which are likely to yield little, if any, food or financial dividends to the Western Australian community is ludicrous. In encouraging broad-scale monoculture, this government is not working towards Australia’s food security, nor promoting local growth and resilience.
The Ord-East Kimberley Expansion Project has cost Australian taxpayers more than $500million, the majority of which has been Royalties for Regions funding.
A Small Win on Horizontal Waterfalls
While public opinion and good common sense has perhaps had a small win on Horizontal Waterfalls, which the government recently announced a mining exclusion zone on, it seems that there’s always a trade-off on the balance sheet with this government. While talking up the mining ban the government announced that the Royalties for Regions’ Exploration Incentive Scheme will assist Beau Resources Pty Ltd to explore for minerals in the tenement opposite and adjacent to the Horizontal Waterfalls. Add to this that the mining ban is only valid for two years before being reviewed, and it is clear that there are no guarantees of lasting protection for this icon of the North Kimberley. So while we can celebrate small mercies, we must remain focused on this precious area, which is, indeed, too precious to lose.
Lead Down Esperance Way
There is still much anxiety and confusion in the Esperance area as to whether the lead issues have been laid to rest. With some media reporting that whistle-blowers have come forward to state that the clean-up was mishandled, the community is divided on whether it can feel confident that lead no longer poses a threat to their wellbeing. We will be keeping an eye on this issue to support the Esperance community in its actions to keep it clean and safe.
Severe Housing Shortages in the Pilbara
In travelling around the Pilbara recently I encountered considerable concern over affordable housing issues which, despite government rhetoric, seem not to be easing for the local communities. While FiFo workers are being catered to by their mining companies, the influx of workers into the area has driven up housing costs so much as to drive out local residents. Small local businesses are also feeling the pinch, unable to get workers from the region to service their human resourcing issues. Even very heavily subsidized housing for non-government workers, whose incomes aren’t generally high, start at $500 per week in Port Hedland, and assisted housing at $800. It seems the mining industry takes no responsibility for community in these areas. If the focus of Royalties for Regions truly is regional development, then it should focus on ensuring local / regional residents can remain in their region and build community by providing affordable housing that is not available to mining industry workers.
But Does the 'Boom' Bring people to the Regions?
Funnily enough though, with all the government's current posturing about Royalties for Regions creating regional amenity and this mining 'boom' being great for our regional communities, it might be interesting for folk to note that since 2008, the actual permanent population of the Mining and Pastoral Region has dropped significantly. In fact, it has dropped 2200 since the 2008 election. For me this begs the question of whether or not regional amenity is really improving, or whether the boom is actually driving people from the region. When it's over, and all good thing do come to an end, who will be living in the so-called 'affordable housing' that is supposedly being built 'en-masse' in regional towns? The miners won't stay, and if the local population has been driven from their homes by rising costs of living and loss of community and social cohesion, driven primarily by the great 'boom' and its influx of transient workers, who will live in these 'ghost towns of the future'?
Solar In the Sunny Goldfields
Now, with Parliament finished and the lead up to the election in full swing, we are travelling the electorate campaigning on the big issues for the regions. One key issue in our sights is that of rising energy prices and the value of renewable energy as a resource for the Goldfields. The Goldfields is a veritable ‘goldmine’ (pardon the pun) for big solar projects, and with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation about to launch its major financing in July 2013, we want to position the region to be ready, willing and able to take advantage of this major finance initiative. Senator Scott Ludlam and I, and our team, travelled to Kalgoorlie to meet with local government, community and business leaders, and will be working with them over the coming months to profile the Goldfields as the most suitable, sustainable and superior space for the CEFC to invest in.
I am a regular fixture at the Boulder markets, where I like to get to know the local people and hear about their issues.
An Invitation to the Dance
Lastly, I want to extend an invitation to something a little more lighthearted, to lift our spirits and raise much needed campaign funds to continue our fight for environmental justice for this precious region. We’re putting the ‘fun’ back in fundraising and this will be a night to remember, so please like our Facebook event page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greens-WA-for-Mining-and-Pastoral/199441939663?ref=hl#!/events/436107986448010/ and come along to support the Greens WA and Environs Kimberley’s work in the region and beyond. This event would make a terrific Christmas present for friends and family and is a fun way to show your support for the Kimberley.
All the best for the coming year, I look forward to working with you,
Robin Chapple, MLC
Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region
