Did anyone see the 4 Corners story on the proposed gas plant at James Price Point. OMG what a total scam. The government is going to put it through no matter what. It sickens me that power and money hungry individuals can conspire to do what ever they want. If you didn’t see it is can be seen in ivew from the abc website.
Please everyone who follows this blog and takes landscape photos because they care about the environment, stand up to these people because once this is through they will be setting up operation of the coast of Margaret River.
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Full Fury of the Fletcher…they better be scared!!!! I did not see it and iview doesn’t work outside Australia unfortunately, but I am totally on board with the Save The Kimberley campaign, get your dirty hands off country! No fekking gas plant at Price Point! I support the campaigns as much as I can, giving them James Price Point images to use and got a letter published in the Broome newspaper. Would be very interested in seeing this story.
From last time I was up there, good links to the campaigns at the bottom of my post: http://flemmingbo.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/primary-colours-at-james-price-point/
middle class spoilt brats with no connection to this country. Take your expensive cameras and stay away from us
That’s incredible – you know so much about us and we know so little about you, not even a nickname…….
The show is being repeated tonight at 11.30pm
Thanks for the link Flemming. I want to drive to Broome now and get some photos of the place to try and show what is there. Barnett calls it a minute little speck. The reality is he is the speck and the minority. You euros are so much more Eco aware than the average Aussie. We should be up in arms over this. If not for the environment but also for the fact that the government are trying to screw the traditional owners again. If this was land owned by some rich white guy the story would be different. The sooner we get off oil and gas the better. Why as a race are we so resistant to change. Our leaders are cowards, it is time for a change. I say up the super profits tax and put all that money into sustainable energies. Why don’t woodside start up such an industry. They have the money. Greedy fat cats at the top make the decisions and greedy shareholders expect them to give them huge profits. We are shitting in our own nest and it is just about full.
Seems that if there is a coin in it for the greedy then they will shit on anything, anywhere, any time with utter contempt, distain and aggrogance for the land, the wildfire, the people. It is a game for these pricks, the money game. We all have to pay for their greed in the end though. Good on you mate for getting fired up and having a say, who’s next on your prick list? Wilson Tuckey? He’s on mine.
I was absolutely appalled by the tactics used by Barnett and Woodside, these sleazy fat cats need to be stopped, and Barnett needs to be voted out at the next election. I have no confidence in any government who sells out our natural environment, history and aboriginal culture.
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How arrogant is Colin Barnett??!
It is an absolute travesty that they are going to desecrate the land up there like this. And it’s not just the land we can all see that will be affected, all the marine life will be driven away as well.
Why can’t they use the existing plants that are already in place arounfd the region???
It’s James Price Point now, but what’s next. We really need to do something about this – but what can we do??? Maybe we should organise an expedition up there to photograph the region and exhibit the work…..???
The Wilderness Society has been campaigning against this for a while already, check out their site
http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/kimberley/kimberley-lng-gas-plant-and-james-price-pointfaq-your-questions-answered
Hi Fletch,
Good to see you getting cranky about Price’s point!! If this gas goes ahead it will be the end of Broome and the Kimberley as we Know it. From Broome to Cape Leveque it will end up looking like Kwinana / Rockingham who needs that!!
If anyone has images of Prices Point email them to Barnett and Mr Garrett to show this “unremarkable bit of landscape” …………….. What a Joke!!
So Fletch when you comin up to help save Prices Point? Will give you a personal guided tour mate
“Term Limits” I’ve said before and I’ll continue to beat my drum … “TERM LIMITS” I’m not talking about election cycles. Today we have career politicians that are SO OUT OF TOUCH with the general public they have no idea how the the real world feels or works … Term Limits would end that … You enter politics if you win your election, you serve a time period or 2 your out back to public life. Thats EVERY POLITICIAN from your local council to the leader of the country … Until then we are going to be told what how and when to do everything by career politicians and situations like these will always arise where one fights the cold not the cause of the cold …
TERM LIMITS !
Rant over
Oh yeah that goes for the duncan post as well ….
We are behind you CF all the way!! fuck them I say
Agree with pretty much everthing said already! pricks ruining nature too make a few very rich.
im all for the environment, but its a bit easy for eveyone to say stop this and stop that. but we all RELY on oil and gas every single day..its just supply and demand…we demand it and they supply it…..AND we demand it cheap..
Woohoo – 2 great posts and not an image between them
Yep fuck ‘em I say too. I tend to do a fair bit of driving about this country and there are so many places that I see, if you have your eyes open, there are small community and interest groups trying valiantly to protect something that the love or livelyhoods in their region. Whether it be a proposed dam, logging, mining, dredging or whatever – it’s right across the board and it seems to me that 99.9% of the time it comes from greed and from people, politicians or companies from afar, whether that be in the city or multinational companies. Just shoving nature and minority communities aside for greed and wealth – it’s deadset sickening.
A couple of years ago i came home from traveling far and wide for 8months to have my own back yard announced as being the location for the largest desalination plant in the southern hemisphere (AKA fat pollution factory) …. to supply Melbourne and geelong with water and to pollute our own gorgeous coast which has whales, seals,dolphins,penguins the lot.
Currently this project may be 1/4 built and will be multinationally owned etc – yep Melbournians and Geelong – a French company owns your water and pollutes our ocean ! SO I still say a BIG FUCK YOU to the Vic government for this decision.
My rant…
Oh yeah and JP point and the Browse basin – keep ya stinkin hand out !
Well put fletch
I’m watching it for the second time, it’s more depressing second time around. As for being a Tool, reminds me of a “Men Behaving Badly” Episode (on Barnett)… what a t*sser, no he’s a w*nker, nah, he’s a t*sser, no, w*nker, t*sser, w*nker, t*sser… etc,etc! Make money from the landscape, not by ruining it! Anyone can make money by ruining the landscape, it takes soul to make money from the natural landscape. Woodside = (|) s’.
I dont know this Barnett fucker, but he sure sounds like a TOOL… I have been to james Price Point before and its beautiful, so Barnett, if your reading this ” HANDS OFF “
I now managed to watch this at this link: http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20100621/kimberley/
Cannot put in words how sad and angry this makes me. Colin Barnett, what an absolute idiot. Someone should keelhaul this traitor! Traitor to the land, the people, the country, the heritage, the spirit. What a total fecking evil bastard. “No means NO – finished!”
This must not go ahead. Think of the beautiful untouched coast line of Broome and Kimberley turned into industrial built up hell like all the way south of Perth. No means NO!
haha fuck. I have shares in woodside. whoops.
I completely agree with you though Christian. The arrogance and greed of a lot of mulinationals and global corporations is nothing short of astounishing. Us photographers have the ability to see beauty in natural landscapes whereas the big cats can only see dollar signs $$$.
I’m guilty myself of working in a corporate world. However, I think that’s exactly what attracts me to photography. Not only the escapism, but the ability to see some of the world’s most beautiful places at beautiful times of the day.
Now, time to book the flights to Perth so I can shoot it before it gets all fucked up!
Yep, I watched this program. Lots of white ants running around and they are not all politicians and Woodside executives either!
Up the road at Yampi Sound there are the eyesores of Koolan & Cockatoo Is. iron ore mines and the gas plant will be far uglier!
Interesting to hear that the custodian is not against the gas plant but he can’t find a place that doesn’t break the songline.
Another issue is with all the work to build marine infrastructure there, how will that affect marine life, in particular the many Humpback whales that migrate past that area????
We all seem to be on the same page. I hate the way we bow to the big companies because they all put dollars in our hands. But what price do we pay for this.
To the anonymous post, I don’t demand oil or oil products, I demand alternatives. I want my money to go into sustainable energy and products not into the pockets of some dumb shareholder who is going to die of starvation or something worse when the world can’t provide for us anymore. We are the most stupid generation to have ever lived. We know what is happening, we know how to fix it, but we do nothing. We deserve what ever we get but our kids don’t. Please make changes for all our kids. Money is the root of all evil as they say. It isn’t going to give you health or eternal life. Family is the most important thing and respect for your fellow man. I wish the world will change, I really do.
Christian, I think that you should be in the local Greens Party, you are very passionate and not afraid to speak out! We need more people like you to save our planet!
I agree. Hands off our natural resources but until our insatiable desire for all things made from petroleum based products ceases these things will continue to occur.
What can we do ? I don’t have the answers but we are all guilty of enjoying the benefits these insidious products provide.
It will take more than comments on this blog to stop a big company like Woodside from having it’s way. Governments of all factions will always sell off our resources to the detriment of our environment in order to keep power. Had it been the other Tools in the political shed the same thing would happen.
I’m not backing the big companies No Way!!!! but I feel like a hypocrite bagging these industries and then driving in my car made from Iron Ore, burning Diesel to get to the airport to Fly to a shoot burning JET A1 and then saying “gee I hope they dont put a Oil Rig here”!!!!!
Giving up Oil and Gas has been made impossible in this day and age and I cant see we will stop the destruction of our environment until it is all gone and everything is lost. It’s human nature. We consume everything in our path to facilitate what we think is a better life and one day we will pay for it…..
James Price Point will be another example of big business running political outcomes but apart from a small passionate minority who’s going to give up there lifestyle for a better planet?…. That’s the biggest question…
You hit the nail on the head . . .Sad story, but true story.
I vote for the greens every time Kym. I couldn’t be a politician, I don’t think when I get angry, I just go off and usually get myself in trouble. Still people don’t like politicians so I’d rather be a civilian that could influence politicians to get a better outcome. Sort of like Brian Burke!!!
Michael good points but we can change our lifestyles easily. You know I am a big consumer but we try to do everything we can at home to make a difference. Don’t drive so much, don’t shop at Coles, turn off your lights, buy local Australian made products, grow your own veggies, get solar panels, a rainwater tank, build a smaller efficient house from recycled materials. There is so much everyone can do and it won’t affect your lifestyle that much. You could also try selling two of your drum kits and putting solar panels on the roof. And ride to work, you don’t live that far away.
My Drum Kits are acoustic so are Environmentally friendly, apart from the obvious noise pollution. I know you try to make a difference and because of your jibes we try do do the same.
Unfortunately Australia is feeding a developing world with an insatiable appetite to live a lifestyle we enjoy and that is why this is happening. If China didn’t want all our gas then there would be nowhere near the boom that is currently going on. Possibly this proposed plant would never of been on the table.
We should be up in arms about the Burrup in Karratha too. We have both been through the Dampier Archipelago and no how pristine that environment is or was. What about the Montebello’s? How do these things get approved? James Price Point will be just another one in a long list…
An ex Green politician turned Labor stooge to further his political ambitions shows just how hard it is to make changes when everything he once stood for can be forgotten in the face of sellout political decisions to back big business.
Changing our ways will help the environment but this argument is about supply and demand, power and greed…… and we have got what the world wants NOW!!!!!! and there is not a government in the world who wouldn’t do the same thing when so much money is at stake.
It’s a real shame.
We are all consumers in one way or another the point is why do we have to loose more country to get it .
Pipe it down to Karratha where there is already a processing plant,
Use that location which sadly is an example of what happens when Big company’s get their way and public opinion dosn’t get voiced.There is no need to kill off Price’s Point and the Kimberley with Industry,
Pipe it to the Pilbara ….. Hands off country………. Gas free Kimberley.
While oil and gas companies continue to provide jobs and income to working families nothing will change …
Solar panels are not going to run your car and growing enough corn for fuel is insane (clearing fields and trees and natural bush for cheap corn meal) …
Pressure needs to be placed on car makers to produce decent cars that run on like 2ltrs per 100km … They could do if if they wanted to I’m sure …
Just look at what has happened in the US … That shit is beyond criminal … And not just to oil companies that rode to close to the line to save dollars, but the powers that be that made them drill so far offshore without the knowledge or expertise on what to do if the shit hits the the fan …
We are not getting off oil or gas anytime soon … Pressure needs to be placed on companies to produce more fuel efficient technologies … And not by governments either through damn taxes, but through education of our brightest to invent tomorrows technology today …
Ok back to shooting … Damn its cold and went down here in the tent …
Going back to the programme – I can’t believe they said it would be uneconomical to pipe the gas from the Browse Basin to Karratha and use the existing infrastructure. 600 miles of pipe versus a new LNG Terminal. A new terminal will cost billions. Even the other partners in this project think it is insane not to send the gas to Karratha but Barnett forced those companies to sign because if they didn’t he would revoke their license to operate. Barnett just wants to industrialise the Kimberley – Yes it will create growth in terms of jobs etc etc but this can all be done out of the Pilbara so why take more pristine country.
I do think we forget how dependent we are on oil and gas. The majority of electricity in WA is produced in gas fired power stations so we should all remember where our energy comes from every time we turn on our hot shower, power up our imac and charge our latest camera etc so we should all do our part in trying to limit our energy consumption. That said, demand continues to grow and the energy companies are reacting to that demand – Im not sure Western Australians would be happy with power cuts in the event that Power Stations cant meet demand. Therefore, I think developing the gas in the region is inevitable as long as people continue to want to charge their new ipads or turn on their ac but hey – lets do this responsibly with as minimal impact on the environment as possible and that means leaving JPP alone and sending the gas to the Pilbara! If you haven’t been and you find yourself in Broome do go as it is truly awesome!
great discussion and a great forum guys, well done for getting it on the agenda, but there is actually a bigger issue here. Price’s Point is a magical place indeed and there are innumerable arguments for preserving it just for itself, but the real concern is the establishment of a major fuel and power source right on the edge of the resource rich Kimberley… Think about the possibilities, deep water harbour, direct coast access, easy and convenient access to gas, power and fresh water. this opens up the possibilities of many more things than just just the rape and pillage of one beautiful location, the whole of the Kimberley is under threat here, one of the last bastions of untouched wilderness. This is the real concern, this gas plant is the thin edge of the wedge…
Colin Barnett is on the ABC radio every Wednesday morning around 9.00. Give him a call or go to 720 face book and leave him a message.
Hi all, I’m new to Fletch’s blog, despite having been an admirer of his work since visiting WA in 2005.
This is obviously a complex issue, and there’s more behind all of this than I know about. I can’t say I’ve been keeping up to date about the JPP proposal lately, but having travelled in the Kimberley it does concern me to hear about a part of it, especially a coastal part, being developed in this way.
One other thing I wanted to quickly do was recommend a documentary series to anyone who has an interest in this sort of thing. After watching some of it on the ABC, I picked up the series ‘National Parks – America’s Best Idea’, by the film maker Ken Burns. It’s fantastic and primarily details the efforts of people who were dedicated, often at great personal cost, to preserving tracts of their own nation. I personally find it to be a very inspiring and heartening series, that imbues you with an increased sense of worth for all natural places, not just those in America. As indicated, it focuses solely on America, but it’s essentially a metaphor for conservation and naturalist movements everywhere.
Often the preservation efforts it details came into direct conflict with the interest of both government and private interest, and while they didn’t always succeed, history, and current sentiment, indicate that the vast majority of the population are now glad they did. On many occasions they enlisted the help and support of people who had never even visited the places in question, but this just goes to show that not having a personal link with a place is no reason to get involved, and no reason for opponents to be dismissive.
Unfortunately this country has seen the likes of Lake Pedder disappear, but there’s also examples like the Franklin Dam scheme to show that a difference can be made, particularly if government can be engaged in the right way.
I mention this simply because it’s a shot in the arm to everyone that environmental altruism is a great thing, and that individuals do make a difference, whether they’re rich of poor. It’s also a reminder that initial victories for conservation aren’t always the end of matters, and that at least in American history even national parks can come under threat during times of stress and/or weak governance, so the fight really needs to continue beyond any early successes.
Good to see photographers fighting for places they love, even sometimes if they haven’t been there themselves, like me. Fight the good fight.
- Hugh
Good to hear some real voice in action. Please make sure you all write to our greedy, puffed up premier too.
Bad history should not repaet itself, and the judiciary system shouldn’t be changed when land titles are in question. I, like many, believe the signing of the agreement at James Prices Point was illegal.
The only way to make a difference with this issue is to put public pressure on Woodside and the other partners and Barnett and his govt. This is such a beautiful part of the world and it would be criminal to industrialise it. The simple answer is to pipe the gas to the Pilbara – an area that is already industrialised. Surely it makes sense to keep industry to the one region, and not destroy more land in our quest for minerals. I have been to the area and the locals seem pretty happy to me without all the so called benefits that Barnett is promising. They are making the most of the natural resources through cultural and eco tourism (and doing pretty well too).
The last thing the indigenous people of this country need is for us whiteys to dictate to them what we think is best (and to keep stealing land). Barnett has a paternalistic attitude that is in keeping with the attitudes of the past 200 years of Australian government. This attitude has done bugger all good for indigenous people so far, how is it going to start working now??
Enough is enough!!! If everyone makes enough noise, these companies will have no choice but to find an alternative.
I hope that they would also consider any projects that will give disadvantages to the citizens. It would be acceptable for the citizens if the project is viable and there is a good reason to accomplish it. I hope corruption will stop not only in my home country but to other countries as well. Thanks.
That’s it, it is just corruption by people who already have more money than they can spend. It is a sickness, to want more and more and screw others over like that. Makes me ashamed to be a white Australian.
Bollocks to the lot of you.
thanks for the positive input
Come on have a look at the big the big picture, where are your kid’s going to work. Good luck
Johnno, there are no jobs on a dead planet.