North West

WA Greens MLC Robin Chapple incensed over reduction of Derby bank trading hours leaving vulnerable communities stranded

WA Greens Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region, Robin Chapple, has criticised the reduction of trading hours for Derby’s only bank; which has left vulnerable community members waiting in extreme heat for hours.

Speaking generally, Mr Chapple referred to the four hour windows of trade offered twice a week at the town’s only ANZ bank as “borderline punitive measures to Derby’s most vulnerable”.

“This decision to have such a short window for trade is putting immense pressure on locals who are often already struggling at an incredibly difficult time for regional towns”

“On days where temperatures are above 40 degrees, we simply cannot have people lining up for hours to access financial services - it’s a serious health risk and completely unacceptable”

“We are in the middle of an economic crisis unlike anything we’ve seen before that is hammering regional small business and communities.  I urge the bank as strongly as I can to increase their trading hours, because right now, they are not providing the community with basic services that are run of the mill for city folk”

Mr Chapple raised serious concerns over the lengths customers were going to in order to secure funds.

“People are driving for hours to make this relatively short window…  It’s costing time and money and we are now running the risk of people being forced to store large quantities of cash on their premises. Derby and the surrounding area then faces the potential for an increase in criminal behaviours, such as theft, by those seeking to exploit desperate conditions”

Monday, 11^th September 2018

The Greens (WA) have warned the State Government against caving to the wishes of federal Labor leader Bill Shorten to open land up for fracking.

Environment spokesperson Robin Chapple MLC said that there was a real risk that Labor would open up WAs North to fracking due to pressure from corporate lobbyists as well as Bill Shorten.

“Bill Shorten has joined a chorus of big business lobbyists calling on parts of Australia to be opened up to fracking. The NT Labor Government just opened up half the Territory to fracking, and Bill Shorten is now calling on the Victorian Government to reverse its fracking ban.

“The WA Government must resist pressure from lobbyists and their federal colleagues, and commit to a total moratorium on fracking in WA.

“The community will not put up with a halfway measure similar to the NT, and we will not allow groundwater to be poisoned in the name of extra cash for big companies.

“There is no future for fracking in WA. Submissions made by Buru Energy saw that there was no plan to properly manage waste from this toxic industry.

“We simply cannot allow an industry like this to operate if we wish to mitigate climate change and keep to our Paris commitments. Climate change is already affecting WA, and for the State Government to rip open WA for fracking would be tantamount to giving up.

“WA has huge potential for solar energy, which is clean, renewable and affordable. The Government should be investing in renewable energy rather than bowing to the pressure of lobbyists and federal Labor.

“Communities are waiting with baited breath to see the outcome of this scientific inquiry, and to see if the WA Government will commit to protecting the land by banning fracking across WA.

“The Greens are backing the communities, farmers and action groups that are firmly against fracking. We are calling on the State Government to join us and commit to a total ban on fracking.”

Media Contact: Liam Carter – 0449 151 490

Thursday, 14 December 2017

The Greens (WA) have welcomed the State government’s recent $23.8 million investment into Tjuntjuntjurra remote community, citing it as a positive step forward in dealing with a worsening remote community water crisis.

 Spokesperson for Aboriginal Affairs, Robin Chapple MLC, said it was an encouraging sign that the government was starting to listen to expert advice and community concerns, but that contamination issues don’t stop at Tjuntjuntjurra.

The upgrade comes after consistent efforts by Kalgoorlie paediatrician, Dr Christine Jeffries-Stokes to inform two separate state governments of a fast emerging renal health epidemic.

“Dr Stokes’ research has shown that water contamination doesn’t just stop at Tjuntjuntjurra; there are at least 11 other Goldfields communities exhibiting dangerously high levels of Uranyl Nitrate,” Mr Chapple said.

“Water contamination cannot be addressed in one instance, leaving many remote residents stranded and concerned for the wellbeing of their children.

“I applaud Dr Stokes for her tireless work on remote community renal health, which ultimately led to this life-saving investment, but we mustn’t stop here.

“Access to potable water is a basic human right and WA Labor need to start looking at all other remote Goldfields communities, as a matter of priority, in order to curb  this health epidemic.

“The previous Barnett Liberal government demonstrated astounding negligence on this issue.  I now compel the current Labor government to learn from this failure, and make up for lost time.