Kimberley

Broome: Contaminated plant needs urgent intervention

24 March, 2016

Water Minister Mia Davies has refused to acknowledge Broome South Wastewater Treatment Plant is leaking excessive nutrients into groundwater on Broome Peninsula, according to WA Greens MLC Robin Chapple.

“Roebuck Bay has experienced worsening blooms of the cyanobacteria Lyngbya majuscula over the last decade, possibly due to an excess of nitrogen and phosphorous in groundwater,” Mr Chapple said.

“Last year, the Department of Environmental Regulation reclassified the plant as ‘contaminated – remediation required’, yet the Department has been painfully slow to respond.

“Whilst I appreciate there are seasonal variations, I question why an investigation started in 2014 will not be completed until at least 2018.

“Who knows how severely seagrass meadows, and the ecosystems that depend on them, in Roebuck Bay could be affected; this issue should have been investigated as a matter of priority and the current response does not scream urgency to me.

“Acknowledge the site is contaminated, put serious measures in place immediately to stop the situation from worsening and then investigate, not vice versa.”

For comment please contact Media Liaison Tim Oliver on 0431 9696 25 or 9486 8255.

Broome lock up changes small part of larger picture

Thursday 25 February, 2016

Robin Chapple MLC, the Greens member for the Mining and Pastoral region, has acknowledged that the Broome police have made some positive changes in dealing with deaths in custody but there is still a long way to go before the problem is properly addressed.

“The changes brought upon by the Broome Police since 2012 are positive steps but we should recognise that the problem is much larger” Mr Chapple said.

“It is good to see staff increases, 24/7 dedicated custodial officers and cultural awareness training in Broome detention but the larger issue still needs governmental action.

“Indigenous people are overrepresented in Western Australian jails at an appalling level and we have a government avoiding the problem.

 “The WA Greens have been trying to push the government to eliminate mandatory sentencing, it’s a punitary flaw that disregards the role of detention as a last resort.

“We should also provide better indigenous services, develop justice reinvestment programs and implement the remaining recommendations of the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

“We still have a long way to go.” 

 

For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 9486 8255

Greens MLC remains opposed to Aboriginal Heritage Act Amendments

Friday 19 February, 2016

Greens Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region, Robin Chapple MLC, says that he remains strongly opposed to the re-tabled Aboriginal Heritage Act amendments, and will seek to strike them down.

“All the Bill provides for, with regard to the voice of Aboriginal peoples, is the transfer of most of the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee’s functions to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs’ Chief Executive Officer,” he explained.  

“The government has left substantial matters to undrafted regulations, such as what the CEO will consider and information required before deciding what is left on or taken off the register.

“It is disappointing that the Bill omits all of which have been repeatedly raised in previous reports on the Act and also in the 2012 round of submissions; all of which aimed to improve protection of Aboriginal heritage and the involvement of Aboriginal peoples in that process.

“There has been enough community backlash to see people are vehemently opposed to this Bill. 

“If the Government are true to their word and want to design legislation that protects our unique Aboriginal heritage, then it is back to the drawing board they must go.

“The Greens will continue to oppose the Bill in its current form. “

For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 9486 8255

Five years on and Cattle still problem with Northern Highways.

Friday, 19th February

WA Greens Member for the Mining and Pastoral region Robin Chapple MLC has questioned the effectiveness of the Advisory Group for the Management of Straying Livestock amid more dead cattle figures received from parliamentary questions.

“In the five years since the advisory group was set up I cannot say I’ve seen a solid reduction in roaming cattle along the highway” Mr Chapple said.

“This anecdotal evidence is backed up by figures I have received in parliament,”

“From 2013 to 2014 there were a reported 68 dead cattle removed from the stretch of highway between Broome and Derby, from 2014 to present day there have been a reported 159 dead cattle.”

“This tells me that the number of stray livestock is not decreasing and the actions the Government have put in place are not working.”

“The same can be said of reported crashes, there were 32 cattle related crashes from 2009-2013 at 6.4 a year whilst there have been 16 between 2014 and 2015 at 8 a year.”

“We should remember, this is purely reported crashes and in fact the majority of cattle collisions go unreported.”

“I plead with the Government, reassess the safety of these northern highways, the problem is not fixed.”

For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 9486 8255.

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