Greens WA Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Robin Chapple MLC has called for the Minister for Lands Brendon Grylls to resign after revelations that the Government has once again mishandled the compulsory acquisition of land at James Price Point.
“This is the second time the Government has botched the acquisition of land for the Browse LNG hub by failing to carry out what should be a procedural matter,” Mr Chapple said.
“Just a couple of weeks ago, on 19 November, the Premier Colin Barnett issued a statement saying the agreement reached with Traditional Owners had been in accordance with the Commonwealth Native Title process under the supervision of the Federal Court.
“Now we find this is not the case. This tops anything we have previously seen from this government and I don’t think it can be put down to incompetence alone.
“I can’t imagine Mr Grylls simply forgetting to notify Woodside or its Joint Venture Partners of key points in the process.
“This smacks of a government that has a complete disregard for the Native Title process and disrespect for the Native Title claimants.
“It demonstrates a government that is greedy and that will stop at nothing to push ahead with its own agenda, disregarding anything or anyone that gets in its way.
“Mr Grylls claims that no serious activity has taken place but this is a somewhat misleading statement when there has already been a good deal of land clearing, track building, the formation of a Turkey Nest dam and extensive drilling for water.
“Mr Grylls should resign from his ministerial role, or the Premier should sack him, and the Government should abandon its foolish insistence on building a gas processing plant at James Price point against the wishes and the advice of almost every other stakeholder.”
