| This is a special information page
for Broomers and visitors to the town... and for anyone at all who cares
for country...
Help us to protect the Kimberley... be informed... be part of the solution...
We say
NO GAS
We are NOT saying NO GAS at all - we ARE saying FLOAT the hub, or DRILL it at sea, and PIPE it to the Pilbara for processing - these being the saner, more cost effective and environmentally responsible options!
This is NOT A DONE DEAL, despite propaganda to the contrary. Let your support for maintaining the Kimberley as a tourist destination and vibrant community be known!
Write some letters. Use online petitions.
Let your support for preserving The Kimberley as a tourist destination be known. Say NO DEAL!
Woodside's Joint Venture Partners said NO
BP, Shell, Chevron and BHP have already indicated a preference for processing the gas at an already established industrial complex the Pilbara.
There is a lot of competition for gas markets in the world at the moment.
The Kimberley [Browse
Basin] gas is not sold yet - it has no market - in Queensland
[Bundaberg] gas is being processed cheaper - gas that is already for
sale on the world market, in competition with WA gas!
Analysis by economic analysts JP Morgan and Citigroup has shown that the main advantage of going to JPP versus existing facilities in the Pilbara is that gas processing could start 3 years quicker – but delays are already whittling away at this timeframe.
Recent leaks show both BP and Chevron have
strongly objected to being railroaded into this deal by government.
Woodside and Barnett tell us it’s good for the town, but beyond
promises of jobs and some donations to local groups and charities,
they can’t, or won’t, answer the hard questions or make iron clad
undertakings.
At this link you will find suggestions for what to write and a form letter you can copy and alter to reflect your own concerns - all the relevant addresses are also listed.
Gas First - then Oil !
The LPG that will be processed at JPP [if it
goes ahead] lies over an expansive oil field. When the gas is gone, oil
will be pumped out of this reservoir. This is normal practice. Can you
imagine the effects of an oil spill or pipe leakage on this coastline
and into Roebuck Bay?
What about the water?
It takes huge amounts of water to process
gas. Broome's supply is limited. The water used for the gas hub is the
same water that was earmarked for Broome's future needs. From Pindan Post: Broome is already one of the fastest growing towns in Australia, having had tremendous growth over the last 20 years. The growing tourism industry along with pearling, construction and remote mining have contributed to this. Should Woodside achieve their aims in building the largest refinery complex in the southern hemisphere, this would make the growth and competition for services intolerable and detrimental to all of the Broome Community. This new sewage plant would not remotely be capable of the extra waste…in fact Woodside will dump their waste at sea in the middle of the whale calving and turtle nesting grounds.
9- Woodside will be a massive water user , they are going
to PUMP 30 Gigalitres of Gas processing WASTE-WATER, RUN OFF WATER,
PROCESSED SEWAGE FROM 6000 WORKERS, ALL PUMPED OUT TO SEA
Just so you know a Gigalitre is a billion litres, THAT'S 30
BILLION LITRES of waste water
As a comparison, the whole of Broome uses 8 Gigalitres, 8 Billion
litres
Woodside is Going to DUMP 30 Billion litres of WASTE WATER INTO
OUR SEA
10- This fact is amazing!!!! The Kimberley fishery is one of the
top 4% of fisheries in the world, in line with the Arctic and
Antarctic.
Yes Arctic, Antarctic and the Kimberley.
11-Pollution – The Woodside JPP gas hub will produce 1766 tonnes
of Benzene into our Broome air per year, as a comparison, Karratha
is producing 198 tonnes per year NOW.
http://pindanpost.com/2011/10/13/woodside-massive-polluter/
IT’S GOING TO BE A MASSIVE POLLUTER - Exotic Grasses &
Weeds
As for the waste water plant, another spreading exotic grass
likely to become a worse weed, Rhode’s Grass is another addition to
the climbing number of exotic weeds encouraged over the last 20
years around Broome. It would add to Buffel Grass, Mitchells burr,
Birdwood grass, Kapok, Leucaena and Neem trees, mostly introduced
for stock feed and out-competing native grasses.
Rubbery Figures - size of land grab...
The government's compulsory land claim
extends from Willie Creek to north of James Price Point. "The
Kimberley Land Council has told ABC Kimberley that the Notice of Intent
to compulsorily acquire land at James Price Point
The community’s considerable air and water pollution concerns are being brushed aside.
Many locals with young families are promising to leave the town if the plant goes operational – they want a clean, safe environment for themselves and their children. They will not endanger their families. The outfalls of this plant are greater than some that have already caused health problems among children in other parts of the country. They include huge amounts of benzene and other carcinogens. In processing the gas huge volumes of water will be removed from the aquifer and dumped at sea, directly affecting salinity levels.
This aquifer has been acknowledged as
securing "Broome's future water needs". There have been no guarantees that water quality will not be affected by a gas hub.
We have had no social impact study of any consequence.
When asked most people
do not support this project.
Spokespersons for traditional owners have said: “KLC [Kimberley Land Council] does not speak for the Goolarabaloo people” The majority of traditional owner claimants were left out of the voting process. And those few who did vote for the proposition did so under threat of compulsory acquisition! Due to unaddressed social concerns even the KLC is now talking about withdrawing support for the project. The Lurujarri Heritage Trail and songline will be closed to traditional owners and their guests by this project.
The Broome Community as it exists is threatened by this development. ... Threatened by fly in fly out workers, exorbitant increases in rents bringing loss of accommodation for locals, visitors and small business employees alike. These "recourses boom" introduced factors have destroyed many towns... Broome is a UNIQUE community, standing strong in the face of corporate greed and political egos... we want to keep Broome's soul alive for us, for you and for the future. In terms of social impact think what 6,000 - 8,000 fly in fly out and temporary workers will do to the local community and the number og additional flights over the town. Most workers will take their money and spend it elsewhere. Those who stay, mostly single men without families or loyalty to the town, will put pressure on fishing spots and do their weekend drinking in town. The effects of FIFO workers are proving so detrimental to the social fabric in towns all over Australia that the Federal Government is investigating the practice. What about losses to tourism and jobs as the image and social makeup of the town changes? Think Port Hedland - is that the kind of town you want to live in, or to visit?
Barnett speaks of the Kimberely as “the Next Pilbara” and
Broome as a future Dubai. Think Karratha!
This community has not been consulted in this process - it has been railroaded!
The Kimberley Land Council which signed the deal with the government does NOT speak for the majority of indigenous people in the Broome community. Tourism, the main income of the town, will be adversely affected. Local companies will not get contracts [as per every other mining development, promises of local support are not met] - most contracts go to national preferred companies. We will all be seeing the lights of this development from town - no more starry starry nights!
This development is in our recreational backyard.
We are not receiving the necessary information that would allow us to make clearly informed decisions about our future. The hub is intended to be next to our only swimming beach to the north. The very nature of a camping trip or a day visit to Quandong beach may change: no more clear waters for the years of dredging, blasting and construction; beaches full of construction workers from the nearby camp [5km]; no more clear skies or starry nights…but smoggy sunsets are pretty! Construction is intended to continue till 2017 when the plant becomes operational. beginning 20 years of gas processing. When the gas runs out oil will be piped...
The current crown land sites of Quandong and
Warmadany fall inside the the expanded
exclusion zone claimed by Woodside so it's possible that these areas
will not be open to public access at all. Or if, as suggested,
they are given freehold to traditional owners by Government as trade off
for the JJP site free, open camping will not be an issue... Broome
people will no longer have free access to the northern beaches at
all…Although with the reflected glare of the gas brightening the night
skies as far as the town we may not want to camp up there anyway!
Our coast is world class and pristine.
A unique dinosaur footprint trail has been recently surveyed along the length of the Dampier Coast. The Federal Minister for the Environment, Tony Burke, has declared the Kimberley Coast tidal zone a National Heritage Area to protect this internationally significant dinosaur trail – the longest in Australia, and possibly anywhere in the world. It is unclear how Woodside will deal with this preservation order. This priceless piece of our heritage was scheduled to be blasted out of existence and concreted over by this development. The adjacent onshore land strip is still unprotected…
The gas precinct is home to many endangered and protected plants and animals.
Among them are vine thicket, the Gubinge [Kakadu Plum] tree and rare remnant rainforest that falls within the 25km˛ industrial development, workers camp and extended exclusion zone at James Price Point.
Whales - The proposed blasting and development is in the path of migratory and calving humpback whales. Dugongs - Dredging will permanently destroy a large offshore area of sea bottom & precious grazing grasses.
The Minister has the power to act. With your support it is hoped he will also invoke his powers to protect the land above the waterline, which includes the nationally and culturally significant Lurujarri Trail and Songline. Tell him what you want, find form letters & petitions at www.savethekimberley.com
The Kimberley and the township of Broome are under
challenge… please help us continue to be part of the solution.
Be informed
Be informed
Google "no gas Kimberley"
Visit websites
NO GAS KIMBERLEY: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002362357931
Save The Kimberley:
information,
letters and petitions -
http://www.savethekimberley.com Environs Kimberley: www.environskimberley.org Hands Off Country: handsoffcountry.blogspot.com Kimberley Direct Action: kimberleydirectaction@wordpress.com
Write a
letter
Here are links to templates you can use...
Minister fro Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and
Communities.
TO Joint venture partners http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/kimberley/how-to-send-a-letter-to-woodside-and-the-joint-venture-partners
TO W.A. Premier Colin Barnett. http://www.environskimberley.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/2011-04-29-Letter-writing-flier.pdf http://www.savethekimberley.com/barnett_gashub_email.php
Email opinions and letters to Woodside: browseinfo@woodside.com.au
Donate to the independent No Gas Campaign “NGOTKC”, BSB 016554 [ANZ Broome 13 Carnarvon Street Broome], A/c 249271156 Every donation will receive a FREE set of Gateway of Light and Abundance Activator Discs and a free remote energy alignment if desired. Just email me with details of your donation....
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Visual links
Power Point: James Price Point LNG Project, Potential Air Pollution Impacts, Based on Woodside Reports http://ace-wa.org/presentations/DM%20JPP%20LNG%20110316.pd Bilbies on film: http://handsoffcountry.blogspot.com/2011/08/baby-bilbies-at-james-price-point.html
References The Lurujarri Heritage Trail - Google it!
“The KLC does not speak for the Goolarabaloo people” Mitch Torres, Ann Poleina, Joe Roe. The KLC has no authority to negotiate with anybody about the development of James Price Point. Nor has anybody else at this stage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eXlUdm4tsw&NR=1 http://www.theage.com.au/national/kimberley-plant-pressure-cited-20110901-1joa0.html
TWO companies involved in a controversial $35 billion gas development say they felt pushed into accepting a proposed project site in the pristine Kimberley wilderness, a confidential US diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks says. The December 11, 2009 cable records complaints from energy giants Chevron and BHP that conditions imposed by the government on gasfields licences left little option but follow project leader Woodside's preference for development of a Kimberley LNG precinct. The proposed gas precinct in Western Australia has become the target of a campaign opposing development in the Kimberley by green and community groups.
It stands to be a unique experience in the short history of native title in that it could actually involve some sacrifices by the broader community. It's not exactly the scaremongering scenarios that did the rounds as native title became established under the Mabo and Wik High Court of Australia decisions, but the community could foreseeably lose access to land that is popularly regarded as public. WOODSIDE Petroleum has been issued a ''please explain'' from federal Environment Minister Tony Burke after the company sidestepped federal government scrutiny and began drilling off the Kimberley coast in a joint venture with the company blamed for the Montara oil spill.
Run for your life Lock up your gates Leave the fuel tank and Take the water trucks
|
Broome
community meets and decides "NO GAS - NO DEAL!"