Good news
The exhibition went well being attended by over 400 people. I believe around $10,000 was raised to help Environs Kimberley with their work to bring awareness to the plight of the Kimberley. It is a bit of a David and Goliath struggle but at least there are people willing to stand up for what they believe.
These are going into a joint exhibition with other photographers from around Australia with a guest slot for our favourite Dane Flemming Bo Jensen. The photographs will be for sale with all the money going to help save James Price Point. The fight isn’t over yet.
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Very Tony-esque with your purity of colors and themes!
what a beautiful place. Surely the gas can go somewhere else!
The actual site for the gas plant is to the south of James Price Point and the point will remain as it is. It is dishonest and an insult to the traditional owners whose negotiations and agreement to allow the project to proceed om terms that will leave James Price Point intact. and proceed. Stop your deceit and stop inflaming people against the TOs who have worked hard to get to this point in self determination. Aboriginal people’s right to determine their own economic future should not be used to market photography by shallow minded upper middle class people with no real stake in the area. It is very hurtfull and divisive what you are doing with this site. I You will probably to too gutless to publish this communication because your type only want your own views out there to feather your already comfortable nests.
Chris, I wonder if you have actually been to James Price Point? You are right in saying that the point will remain as it is but the proposed Gas Refinery for Woodside will be a few metres south and east from the actual point. The location is proposed to be between James Price Point and Quongdon Points but the Department of Environment and Conservation, Woodside and Colon Barnett have insisted on calling the proposed Gas Refinery location James Price Point. So for the purposes of keeping in line with what the proponents are calling the location, Christian is correct in using the name of James Price Point. If you have any issue with the use of James Price Point as the name for the proposed Gas Refinery location, please do take up the cause and contact DEC, Woodside and Colon Barnett and tell them they are wrong. I am more than happy to supply you with conact details.
The point of self determination you mention was done under the threat of compulsory land accquisition by Colon Barnett (The process was already underway).The invited, limited and selected TO’s could either vote YES to the agreement put to them or have the land forceabley taken by the State. Several of those that voted YES were under 18. Hardly what I call self determination when you have that sort of pressure applied to make a decision. Only 168 people voted YES in what will have major impacts on the entire Broome and Kimberley populations. As Wayne Bergman, then Head of the KLC said after..”It was like having a gun held to our heads”. The whole process was flawed and is not really self determination, it is bullying.
Our Indigenous communities should not have to reply on selling their traditional lands for monies from Industry for their health, housing and infrastructure needs to be met. Other communities that have agreed to similar deals have not benefitted as they imagined they would. I have been to Newman (BHP), Karratha (Woodside) and Port Hedalnd and have not witnessed any significant benefits for the indigenous populations there.
The Goolarabooloo community who are the custodians of the area for the proposed Woodside Gas Refinery have always said NO to the development of their lands. You may also want to do some reasearch about Song Cycles and their significance to the Aboriginal peoples of Australia. The proposed Gas Refinery will break one of these significant and culturally sensitive Cycles.
I believe that all Australian’s have a stake in this proposed Gas Refinery. It’s location and pollutants will be important to us all and our children and grandchildren. You may also want to do some research on the social and environmental imapcts this proposed Gas Refinery will have on Broome.
And YES I do live in Broome and YES I do own a house here and YES I have a business here and NO I do not want a Gas Refinery located at James Price Point. There are alternatives. I am not anti gas, just against the proposed location. And YES I have worked hard to get to this point of self determination.
Chris, I think you also missed the point where Christian said that ..”all the money going to help save James Price Point…” This means that he is NOT making any money out of these images.
I also know that he is NOT shallow but is trying to raise awareness to the possible destruction and takeover of pristine country. Your views seem ill informed. Do you work for Woodside?
Well Chris, where do I start. I may also fit into your less than kind description of Christian, for I was one of the 9 co-exhibitors in this Exhibition. I have lived in Broome for the last 12 years and have classed James Price point as one of the Jewels in the crown of my images of the Kimberley. I love the place, was married there 3 yrs ago and like all of the Goolarabooloo people who hold this area sacred, get much energy from this sacred spot. I agree, they plan to build south of the point but also north of the point(pipelines) and behind the point. It will have 24hour noise, light and marine activity from 1200 tankers per year. It will have a 50 square km dead zone in the seas next to it. Some, yes only some (168 out of a total possible 1200 T/Os) voted to accept the money for the land with the threat that they would get nothing under compulsory acquisition. The Goolarabooloo people have always said NO to this monstrosity. It is them who walk this country all of the time and it them who share it annually as they show University students the Lurujarri Trail. The purpose of the Exhibition was to show 3 things. 1. The battle that is happening out there as Traditional owners, assisted by like minded community members and people from all over Australia, fight to stop their country being destroyed while the project is ‘under investigation’ without State or Federal Government Environmental approval. 2. To show the passion that exists in the township of Broome where people have hung banners and signs deploring this development and voicing how much they love JPP and do not want it destroyed. 3. To show those who do not know the place, the beauty of this stretch of the Kimberley coastline. Its wildlife, its beauty and its power. Christian, like the rest of us who exhibited, has seen this power and has talked to Traditional Owners who will lose so much if this goes ahead. He is entitled to help those T/Os who have immense connection to this country and find it almost impossible to get their message to the masses due to the continuous media spin that comes from the Barnett’s Government , Woodside and the Kimberley Land Council.
To have a voice is something inherently human, to have a voice that can be heard over the multitude is a gift. Chris, these people are using their collective voice to sound an alarm, not to make money. I knew nothing about JPP, apart from the fact that there was some kind of development going on. I then saw Christian and the rest discussing the issue, and looked into it further. What I found out appalled me. I love the Kimberley, I do not live there, but have been. Personally, I think that love entitles me to have a voice as well. Please do not accuse people of ‘feathering their nest’ unless you are certain they are. As for inflaming ppl against TOs – personally I’m angry with everyone but them, they were bullied into a corner and then locked down.
Hey Chris, where can I read more of your well informed and erudite comments? Do you have a blog where you have outlined your thoughts publicly on the matter and are prepared to let everyone express their views whatever they may be? You have obviously followed Christian’s blog closely and carefully to form your opinion and probably even met him to be able to judge him as you have. I’m sure you’re not too gutless, shallow-minded or self-promoting to stand up and fight for what you believe in.
Chris, thank you for your post. It is always great to be able to set the record straight. We are all good people with good intentions, I’m sure you are too. We have differing views, that is fine, we live in a democracy. Please think about everything everyone has said on this subject and take on board there are lots of ways of looking at this problem. I will continue to oppose the gas hub as I believe it is a bad idea. No one will benefit except big business, you have to see that. As far as I can see the only people that want this industrial nightmare are those that stand to make money from it. Well I say you are not going to do that at the expense of the environment and the majority of those traditional owners that don’t want to give up their land for the rights the rest of us upper middle class expect for free. And just to let you know, I grew up in a state housing area in Perth. We had nothing as kids but loving parents. Everything I have now is due to hard work and a passion to follow my dreams. My family and I donate monthly to Oxfam, WWF, the RSPCA and my images to any worthy cause. We donate images and time to a calendar for the local hospice that keeps it operating, it is in its 11th year. I do my share and treat people with respect, lets all respect our country and the culture that has been here long before Woodside and any other company looking to exploit it. If you do not act morally then you can expect a fight, this is not just, this is not ethical, it is greed plain and simple.
Thanks to everyone who has made their comments on this matter, it is heart warming to see.
Some awesome prints my friend, here is mine and the James Price Point video I created with Michael Fletcher: http://www.flemmingbojensen.com/blog/2011/09/27/james-price-point-video-and-exhibition/
Hi Chris, I am also a Broome resident of 26 years. It is the same with media and people alike in that they should be WELL informed before making public comments. This whole issue of Woodside and the State Governments determination to build the biggest LNG gas hub in the world in our backyard without any fair consultation has been run with deceit, lies and bullying. Christian Fletcher has given up much of his time where he could be making big money from his amazing skills to this cause. Make sure you are better informed of the whole picture before making such comments.
Hi Chris, thanks for your comments. Did you know that many of the Indigenous traditional custodians were cut our of the voting process to approve Woodside’s LNG plant near James Price Point? It was devastating to my friends whose identity as Jabirr Jabirr / Gooloarabooloo people was denied. It’s like being told you are not Australian if one of your parents is from overseas, or if you were born in Australia but grew up elsewhere. The Goolarabooloo people did not approve this development – they said “no” to it 3 times. Also if you heard Colin Barnett speaking on ABC Kimberley in October, you would have heard him say that once the development is finished, nobody will be able to visit the area again. The exclusion zone will reach as far as Barred Creek. Information about the original development proposal ,which shows in detail the amount of land and ocean that will be impacted, can be found at http://www.dsd.wa.gov.au/documents/Browse_SAR_Appendix_B-8.pdf YOu will not the discussion of building the breakwater includes grinding away the iconic cliffs that feature in many of the photos at the exhibition.
Dear Chris H.
Ah, yes. You’ve read the joint WA Government/Woodside spiel and have bought into it. Good for you.
But the rest of us don’t feel the same way as you do.
In addition to what Helen and Rod have said, this part of the Kimberley is also sacred to other creatures. The Group 4 humpback whales call the Kimberley home – this is where they are born, where they grow up, and where they come back to have their young. This is also where a small population of Australian Snubfin dolphins call home. And you know what, these poor creatures don’t have a voice, and they don’t have a vote. They’re not getting anything from Woodside or the government, not one cent.
If you really believe in what you’re saying, Chris, good for you. But everyone has a right to decide if they’re in favour of the gas hub or not. So you’re entitled to your views and opinions. What most of us here are about is to protect the Kimberley from the carnage of industry. And I’m sure that most of us here would also want to protect the poor creatures that also call the Kimberley home.
Hi Chris,
I am a local Aboriginal woman from Broome. In response to your comments. I recently received some information that is not being provided to not only the TO’S but the Broome Community itself. Where is honesty in this information being presented and where is the honesty in KLC process to determine the outcome for JPP by being inclusive of all registeredl TO’S.
Let me give you some insights into what the Broome Business Chamber of Commerce has presented to the local business owners in Broome and how it can benefit them. There will be 3 LNG Trains and carriages running in parrallel, each will perform pretreatment and liquefaction of the gas. It is anticipated that there will be 20 – 22 ships a month filled at the marine facility. The plant will be built in a modular form overseas. The construction camp will have between 5 – 6 thousand workers at peak. It will include shops, medical and dentist facilities along with sporting and entertainment facilities. Workers at the camp will work a 4 week on 1 week off roster during the 4 week on period, they will work 6 and a half days a wk. They will have organised trips into Broome for shopping, recreation and tourism. The workers who support the village as they are calling it, may have other arrangements such as becoming Broome residents who drive in or out.
Once the plant is completed, there will be 400 to 600 staff to run this precinct for the next 40 years . These staff will predominantly be ‘specialised’ staff. In the past 12 months, Woodside have spent $20 million at over 100 businesses in Broome. This amount does not include sub contracting arrangments or flow on effects.
My question to you, what aspects have they addressed in employing Indigenous workers at the sight once the precinct has been completed.? What money have they put towards, Indigenous Organisation apart from the KLC and the TO’S who signed off on the Agreement and why are the TO’S any different to main society in receiving funds from Government to address their education and health issues and last but not least, if you are not from the Broome region, how can you state that Chrisitan is impacting on the Indigenous self determination when we have lots of Indigenous people who have succeed in their lives and within their own family through their own self determination, tears and separation in families to achieve their outcomes. Oh and by the way, I am a descendant of the TO’S in the Broome and outer Broome regions. I work from 8am – 5pmpm.
By the way, self determination does not come from the sale of country and culture, it is through, tears, sacrifices and freedom to self determine ones destiny.
Hello Chris,
Just thought you should know that not all TO’s have agreed to this proposal, infact less than half were even consulted. The Kimberley Interpreting service was not even utilised in consultations, so-called consultations were done very poorly, simply allowing the government and woodside to “tick their boxes” You are very right when you say that people have a right to determine their own economic future, so why did Barnett comment “Aboriginal people have no right to an economic future if they do not proceed with this”??? Doesn’t seem like “a right” seems more like bribary and bullying as obviously the people felt they did not have a choice at all. Many TOs have commented that they didn’t think they had a choice. You have commented that you believe Christian will only publish his own views however it seems as if you yourself have only taken onboard the media’s views which is a real shame as unfortunately the truth is rarely depicted.
I hope you consider listening to the people rather than the media for a more informed view.
http://pindanpost.com/2011/11/01/commenter-goes-blind-prices-point-confuses-him/
The disappointing thing here is that Chris will probably not come back – it is likely he truly believes that his comments would not have been published. If he has been back, I doubt he did anything but TL:DR with any of the posts and wrote us all off as, “shallow minded upper middle class people with no real stake in the area” or hippies. The internet is great for people who like to whine, but have no real intention of doing anything more than that. Oh, and for the record – I’m not upper-middle class, I’m a cashed up bogan – there’s a bit of a difference
(And hippies are not really that bad)
Chris H
its an unusual name , please please tell me you are not my friend the footy blogger E_M_
I to am a aboriginal woman born and bred in Broome and I have ancestors from every corner of the Dampier Peninsular, we live by the six seasons, water and land and follow the songline and was one of the many aboriginal people not included in the decision of the Gas hub at Price’s Point. and FYI I too have worked as a Public Servant for the past 40 years , own a house, car, have children and grandchildren who are in professional working background and to spend their time off doing the camping, fishing at places like Prices Point and beyond we all had learnt from our parents and grandparents.
“Self-determination has to mean that the leader is your individual gut, and heart, and mind or we’re talking about power, again, and its rather well-known impurities. Who is really going to care whether you live or die and who is going to know the most intimate motivation for your laughter and your tears is the only person to be trusted to speak for you and to decide what you will or will not do.” Quote by June Jordan
Just like to congratulate all the wonderful photographers who featured in this amazing and revealing exhibition. Congratulations also to all those who responded so comprehensively to “Chris” . Your comments and information resound in the halls of truth! —–As did the exhibition itself. If ‘Chris’ is who I think he is, he also stated previously that the exhibition was propaganda. No. Wrong. These are photos of the real place.They include photos of real events on Black Tuesday.
Propaganda is the misleading information put out by Colin Barnett and Woodside to convince the naive that their lives will in some miraculous way be enhanced by having this destructive pollutant in our midst. Sadly it is this misleading information that only the naive can believe.
How sad it would be that the gas hub would have to eventuate on the Kimberley Coast in order to demonstrate to the naive the destruction to the environment, our health and our social well being and unique lifestyle.
Well looks like Chris has gone quiet. Everyone else has said what needs to be said. You’ve been passionate from the start CF, keep up the good work.
Chris, are you a Woodside shareholder or do you work for Woodside and are in line to move to Broome with the project, or have you bought property in the hope JPP goes ahead so you can get greedy rich by ripping people off with extremely high rental rates?
Chris
This is not about land tenure, its about land use.