Police get contractors to gas hub site
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Police have brushed past a protest blockade to escort Woodside Petroleum contractors to the site of a proposed gas hub at James Price Point in the Kimberley.
Bulldozers began clearing vegetation at the site today so geotechnical studies can be undertaken.
Earlier today, about 30 protesters remained on the red dirt road to the site of the planned $30 billion gas precinct about 60km north of Broome.
Yesterday a much larger protest group defied police and held up a contractors’ convoy of trucks, bulldozers and front-end loaders from getting through to clear land for geotechnical studies for the project.
But 25 protesters were arrested and charged with obstructing police. The convoy advanced later in the evening.
Traditional owner Neil McKenzie told AAP that police were “everywhere” and had broken through to the site base camp, but protesters would continue their blockade.
“They are fighting on, trying to do their best to protect the site,” he said.
Premier Colin Barnett said “a convincing majority of Aboriginal people” had voted in favour of the gas hub and protesters should respect that.
He said his move to compulsorily acquire the land had not put undue pressure on traditional owners.
“The only pressure they come under that was from the anti-development groups who tried to intimidate some of those about to vote,” the premier told ABC Radio.
“Let’s respect the decision of the Goolarabaloo Jabirr Jabirr people,” he said.
Mr Barnett said agreement had been reached by consent with no need to compulsorily acquire the land, which had been chosen for the gas hub site because it would have minimum impact on the environment and heritage.
“People may choose to stay on the road and have their protests … and I would defend their right to do that.
“But they are not entitled to stop people going about their job.”
Mr Barnett said Woodside was not starting construction at the site, just clearing limited areas to do some drilling for geotechnical tests.
“It’s being done strictly to the law and to the highest standards and it’s being done carefully.”
Mr Barnett said the project would provide “real economic opportunity for Aboriginal people in the Kimberley”.
Under the agreement negotiated with the Kimberley Land Council, $1.5 billion will go in benefits to the region’s Aboriginal communities over 30 years.
Woodside and its joint venture partners have still to make a final investment decision on the project.
A protester at yesterday’s confrontations, who did not wish to be named, said police had been “extraordinarily heavy-handed”, throwing people to the ground as they drove into the protest line.
“It was like we were being used for CHOGM practice,” she said, in reference to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth in October where protests are expected.
“They were bloody terrifying, they basically treated us like feral animals.”
Acting Deputy Commissioner Steve Brown said that no one had been injured in the day’s protests and he hadn’t seen “any evidence of any overzealous policing or any heavy-handed policing”.
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