Barnett to strip Woodside Browse lease

Browse Gas now up for Grabs and Local Aboriginals Sidelined?

Tuesday 16 April 2013

Greens WA Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region, Robin Chapple MLC, today expressed amazement at the inconsistency revealed in the Premier’s threat to strip Woodside of their Browse gas leases.

“Mr Barnett has repeatedly lectured his opponents about the dire effects of ‘moving the goalposts’.

“He has been harping on about the effect this sort of government interference has on investor confidence and perceptions of the risks of doing business in WA, compared with other places.

“Yet here he is doing just that - interfering in the commercial process – creating sovereign risk.

“The big losers here are the local Aboriginal people, as Mr Barnett and Mr Buswell back away from their financial commitments as fast as they possibly can.

“Hearts will surely be broken, but the Premier needs to look closer to home for laying the blame.

“Perhaps he and his government should follow the advice of his new Minister, Mike Nahan, and avoid trying to pick winners.

“Sovereign risk is a matter of perception about how certain are the ‘rules of the game’ for doing business in Australia. Mr Barnett is now clearly creating sovereign risk.

 

Go to top