Frank Parriman, Co-Chair TONC 23.10.2009
The proposed LNG gas precinct at James Price Point, is a very complex negotiation, as you’d expect for a project that could span several decades and make tens of billions of dollars. We understand that amongst all the hype, the fear and the promise, the bottom line is this: big companies want money, and governments want votes.
What we’re fighting for is this: if any major development is going to happen in the Kimberley, it is to be with the free and prior informed consent of the Traditional Owners, and subject to world’s best practice standards protecting our environment, culture and heritage. But above all, we’re fighting to improve the life chances and standard of living of Aboriginal people. We know the only way to go about this is through real engagement in the economic decision making process.
Recently, the Federal Government has engaged Traditional Owners to assist Minister Macklin in applying a four-year commitment to Closing the Gap in the West Kimberley. Whilst we welcome the opportunity, we need to be very clear on this: none of the Closing the Gap funding put forward by the Commonwealth deals with the impacts of the proposed gas hub. If an LNG precinct is developed, it will not even have started to produce gas by the end of those four years.
This policy represents a business as usual approach by the government – and enough is enough. Piecemeal funding decisions do not work. Two, three, or four year policy commitments have not solved the social disparity between indigenous and non-indigenous people in the Kimberley.
The gas development will have massive impacts on communities throughout the Kimberley. Without the implementation of appropriate measures it is likely to worsen housing shortages, contribute to social problems and worsen existing disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
I’m sick and tired of fly-in, fly-out conservationists celebrating the natural beauty of Broome and the wider Kimberley, our country, seemingly oblivious to the social problems affecting 75% of the long-term population of the Kimberley that are so obvious to all of us and need urgent attention.
To address this we need a new level of engagement – one that empowers traditional owners to make long-term decisions to close the gap and cope with the significant impacts of the gas plant.
We’ve created an expectation with my people that by saying yes to a gas precinct we’re working towards long term sustainable solutions to fix the problems our people face, that we will no longer be begging cap-in-hand for essential services. Without appropriate support on an ongoing basis, Aboriginal communities will only be left further marginalized, as has occurred in the Pilbara.
This is the message to the Federal Government I’ll be recommending to my people: get committed to real long-term solutions for the Kimberley Aboriginal people, or it’s a no show.
We welcome the Prime Minister’s apology, and we welcome the intent of the Closing the Gap policy, but Mr Rudd’s track record in delivering on-the-ground outcomes for Aboriginal people is not that great. It’s time to start turning the rhetoric into action.
