MEDIA RELEASE

27 AUGUST 2010

PREMIER’S BULLYING TACTICS OVER JAMES PRICE POINT NOT THE ANSWER 
	
Greens Member for Mining and Pastoral Robin Chapple MLC has strongly criticised Premier Colin Barnett’s decision to move towards compulsory acquisition of the land and sea at James Price Point, north of Broome, for the development of a gas processing hub.

“It is completely inappropriate for Mr Barnett to override the interests of the Indigenous people in the area when they do not agree with him, or fail to comply with his ultimatum,” Mr Chapple said.

“His actions will only put more pressure on an already disadvantaged sector of the community. Some would call that a bullying tactic. 

“Likewise, it is unacceptable for the Premier to put at risk the environment and local tourism industry, thereby riding roughshod over the concerns of conservationists, local tourism operators and the Broome Shire Council.

“The Premier’s main concern should be to balance the interests of all sectors, and find a solution that is acceptable to all. This requires time and real leadership.

“Having witnessed the destruction of the heritage values on the Burrup Peninsula as a result of the North West Shelf and Pluto gas developments, I am firmly of the opinion that James Price Point is a wholly inappropriate location on which to build the Browse gas hub, not to mention the industrial precinct that will inevitably follow.

“We know that Woodside’s Joint Venture partners – Chevron, BHP-Billiton, BP and Shell – would prefer a different location for the Browse gas hub. They are being pushed into accepting James Price Point by Mr Barnett, or risk losing their tenements,” Mr Chapple said.

For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263