WOODSIDE’S DAY OF SHAME – BLACK TUESDAY
5th July – Black Tuesday
Woodside’s day of shame in the Kimberley – A sad day today! Summed up nicely by our Community Email Extraordinaire!
“I never thought I would see a day like today in my life in this country. Since when did we become a police state working at the behest of big oil and gas. Shame on Woodside, shame on Barnett, shame on Senator Conroy for the mealy-mouthed replies in Federal Parliament, shame on the police (they’re only doing their jobs doesn’t work with me, just as it didn’t work at Nuremburg. Besides, some of them seemed to take a lot of pleasure in just doing their jobs and shame on those TO’s hiding behind Woodside’s apron while demanding respect for their agreement to sell out country and culture. And shame on the Eastern States media for completely ignoring such outrageous events in their own country.
Big praise and thanks to everyone who stood up strong and proud for country, heritage and culture today. Thanks to everyone involved in the communications and support. Thanks to all the wonderful people making donations to the fighting funds, especially the crew who showed up at the blockade early this morning with a cheque for $1,000.”
A media release from the Wilderness Society.
The Wilderness Society (WA) has accused Woodside of cynically hiding behind Indigenous people in its push for a destructive and deeply unpopular gas hub on the Kimberley coast near Broome.
“Yesterday Woodside Ltd sent a devious letter (attached) to the Broome community, in preparation for today’s police arrests at the James Price Point road blockade”, said The Wilderness Society WA Coordinator Peter Robertson.
“This letter and today’s arrests of 12+ courageous Broome residents – black and white – shows what kind of a company Woodside really is behind its PR front: a crass, ignorant corporation putting profit before communities, heritage and the environment.
“Working in cahoots with WA Premier Colin Barnett – who is desperate to leave his industrial footprint on the Kimberley – Woodside has reached a new low even by WA mining company standards.
“The native title ‘agreement’ Woodside refers to in its letter is simply the penultimate stage in Premier Barnett’s Compulsory Acquisition of native title rights over James Price Point.
The Traditional Owners had no choice but to sign the ‘agreement’, because they would lose their native title rights regardless. They publicly said they were “negotiating with a gun to our heads.”
“In its letter, Woodside attempts to smear the peaceful and determined local community by alleging “threatening, offensive and intimidating behaviour”. In fact it is Woodside, through its private security company ‘Hostile Environment Services’ (sic) which has been intimidating and harassing local people – as reported in the media.
“In the meantime, the project has not been approved by the WA EPA, nor the Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke, nor the joint venture partners – Shell, BP, BHP and Chevron.
“Woodside has already trashed a world-significant Indigenous cultural site on the Burrup Peninsula in the Pilbara to build its ‘Pluto’ and North West Shelf LNG plants – it must NOT be allowed to re-offend in the Kimberley!
“Thankfully, hundreds of Broome locals including Traditional Owners are actively opposed to the gas hub due to its impacts on their unique environment, culture, community and economy. Australia owes them.”
Peter Robertson
State Coordinator
The Wilderness Society (WA) Inc.
IT’S STILL NOT A DONE DEAL!
6th July – A candlelit vigil outside Woodside’s office tonight, black arm bands aplenty.