Greens MP Robin Chapple has raised concerns that any further industrialisation of the Burrup Peninsula would accelerate pollution levels, potentially making the air quality of the Karratha area one of the worst in Australia.
According to a recent report by the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Karratha based post code area of 6714 currently has 38741283.97 kg of emissions in the air, from 31 polluting facilities.
This places it as the 10th most polluting post code in all of Australia.
Alongside Newman, which ranks 2nd in Australia with 199441803.1 kg of emissions from 15 polluting facilities, the Pilbara area is one of the most heavily emitting regions in the nation.
Mr Chapple said that not only was the Burrup Peninsula under threat, but that WA is disproportionately contributing to climate change.
“The IPCC report recently released says that we have around a decade to act to avoid catastrophic climate change, and meanwhile the McGowan Government is championing further industrialisation in the North West.
“It is environmental vandalism of the highest degree. We are quite literally trashing the climate for future generations.
“Due to fossil fuels, pollution is so bad along the Pilbara coast that weather radars often show rain even on the sunniest of days. This is absolute madness.
“We simply cannot afford to further shirk our responsibilities to combat climate change, and with a truly incompetent federal Government it is even more urgent for the State to up their game. Instead, the McGowan Government are pushing on blindly ahead with climate wrecking projects.
“We need action on climate change and air pollution now. There is simply not enough time, we must rapidly transition to renewable energy or face the consequences of people dealing with not only polluted air but an extremely volatile climate too.”
The Greens (WA) have warned the State Government against releasing the outcome of the fracking inquiry and any resulting decision just as Parliament ends, with Greens MP Robin Chapple arguing that the decision must be open to Parliamentary scrutiny.
Environment spokesperson Robin Chapple MLC said that there was a real risk that Labor would dump the report findings just as Parliament finishes for the year, hoping to avoid scrutiny, and has called on the McGowan Government to release the findings of the report immediately.
“We saw the Feds do it with climate emissions data on the eve of the Grand Final, we know that it is a tactic of Governments to release unpopular decisions or damning data when people are paying least attention.
“The WA Government should release the findings of the fracking report so that the public can examine it for themselves.
“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.
“I remain hopeful that the State Government will come out against fracking, particularly given the huge amounts of pressure applied by community groups as well as members within the Labor Party’s own ranks.”
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.”
Seismic surveys in a remote area of the Pilbara announced today by the Mines and Petroleum Minister are effectively a subsidy for fracking companies, Mining and Pastoral MLC Robin Chapple says.
“Once again the Minister is undermining the moratorium on fracking in WA, this time by spending taxpayers’ money on survey work designed to help oil and gas companies,” Mr Chapple said.
“The Minister is making it look as if the McGowan Government has already made up its mind about fracking and will open up the Kimberley and possibly the Pilbara to invasive gasfields such as those we have seen in Queensland and the US.
“Governments and states across the world have banned fracking and the ALP agreed to ban fracking in the Southwest, Peel and Perth because of the risks to tourism, horticulture and amenity.
“Just because there are fewer people in the Kimberley and Pilbara, it doesn’t mean the country is ‘empty’ and can be sacrificed.
“The opposite is true: Traditional Owners are on country all the time carrying out cultural practices and getting traditional foods.
“The Labor Party promised veto rights for Traditional Owners at the election but we haven’t heard anything more: instead, we have heard a lot from the Minister about promoting and subsidising fracking companies.”
The Greens WA have called for the Government to increase funding for their current fracking inquiry after parliamentary probing revealed the study’s limited resources last night.
WA Greens Mining & Petroleum spokesperson Mr Chapple said it was critical the study into hydraulic fracture stimulation and its potential environmental effects be properly financed or it will run the risk of losing credibility.
“It was revealed through questioning that the inquiry has been allocated a concerning lack of resources, with less than $600,000 available,” Mr Chapple said.
“$600,000 is not a lot when you consider the economically smaller Northern Territory put aside more than $3 million for their fracking inquiry.
“Without adequate funding the panel won’t be able to undertake the thorough consultation and research hydraulic fracking needs.
“They will begin to rely on public servants, which will raise further questions on the inquiry’s independence.
“If the budget for this inquiry is not significantly expanded, it is in very serious danger of becoming a rubber stamp.”