State Development & Industry

Greens MLC Robin Chapple said that Woodside’s decision to sell $1bn of the Browse LNG project was an opportunity for the company, its partners and prospective buyers to find a better location for the gas hub.

“Woodside’s decision for a $1 billion-plus auction of most of its 50 per cent stake in the Browse gas project is a tremendous reprieve for the ecological and cultural integrity of the Kimberley and a great opportunity for the Joint Venture partners to re-assess the location of the project”, Mr Chapple said.

“There are locations along our vast coastline that are less environmentally and culturally significant than James Price Point – which the Browse JV partners are very much aware of.”

“It is common knowledge that the James Price Point site was not the preferred location for several of the partners.” 

“Woodside’s financial woes represents a chance for the partners and potential purchasers to more fully assess the huge social, heritage, and environmental impacts of a gas hub on the current site, as highlighted by the committed West Kimberley community who have opposed this project from the start.”

“I am fully confident that a comprehensive examination of the impacts of a gas hub at James Price Point would render an alternative site the more attractive option.”

Mr Chapple said that in any re-assessment of the Browse project, the Greens would demand that fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from the project – estimated to be up to 8 million tonnes per annum – be taken into account.

“The EPA and the Federal government must account for the massive carbon footprint of this project, and its impact on the State’s emissions targets to 2020 and beyond ahead of any final approval for gas processing”, Mr Chapple said.

For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263

WA Greens are today celebrating after news that Dixon Island, off the Pilbara coast, will no longer be used by industry as part of the West Pilbara Iron Ore Project (WPIOP) Anketell Point Port Development Proposal.

In February this year the Greens Mining spokesperson, Mr Robin Chapple MLC, made a submission to the Environmental Protection Authority on the proposal, opposing the use of Dixon Island for the project and presenting an alternative option.

“Today I met with API Management Pty Ltd (API), the proponent for the West Pilbara Iron Ore Project, and was advised that the information provided in my submission was instrumental in the project being redesigned to avoid the sensitive heritage and environmental areas of Dixon Island,” said Mr Chapple.

“This is clearly an example when common sense, industrial development and environmental and heritage management can be all be dealt with in a sensitive manner.”

“The proponents and the EPA are to be commended for their understanding of the sensitive issues surrounding Dixon Island.” Mr Chapple added.

The issues covered in Mr Chapple’s submission were:

• The area is of significant conservation, heritage and cultural value.
• The conservation of the mangrove habitats and dependent habitats along the southern flank of Dixon Island.
• The number of freshwater soaks which may have been impacted by the proposal to use the Island.
• There was no strategic or economic need to use the Island.
• The area has been previously impacted by an unusual seismic or tsunami event. and
• There was an industrial and economic alternative.

Please see attached:

Dixon Island Submission to EPA by Robin Chapple, and API Proposal amended