Traditional Owner Phillip Roe confronts Woodside on sacred ground - Woodside security respond aggressively

Gerry Georgatos - (courtesy of The National Indigenous Times - nit.com.au - and Image by Damian Kelly/Broome)
Last Thursday and Friday Gooloorabooloo Elder and Traditional Owner Phillip Roe confronted six Woodside security personnel and six Woodside contract scientists who entered a culturally sensitive area. The Woodside security responded aggressively and assaulted a person from Walmandan Tent Embassy who was filming. It was alleged one security guard tried to destroy the camera which during the assualt had fallen to the ground.

The Woodside group had entered the intertidal zone near James Price Point without seeking permission from the Traditional Owners. James Price Point (Walmandan) is the location the WA Government is pushing for a $40 billion dollar gas hub precinct to annually produce millions of litres of liquefied natural gas.

"We have sacred sites and they should have sought permission so we ensure protection of the sites, that they are not disturbed, and where they can and cannot go. There was no respect by them doing what they did," said Mr Roe.

The group was first seen by Gooloorabooloo Elders and members of Walmandan Tent Embassy last Thursday at 3:30pm and again the next morning as early as 5:30am. They were searching for dinosaur trackways.

"The dinosaur trackways are protected, and they should not be traipsing without a guide and most importantly without permission. The dinosaur trackways in this region are protected under the National Heritage Act, and are located within a registered Aboriginal Heritage site. These trackways are part of our Song lines."

The Traditional Owners led by Mr Roe alongside other community members peacefully approached the Woodside group to enquire why they were working on the west side of Manari Road, away from the proposed James Price Point gas hub site. It was alleged the security forces responded aggressively, assaulting a local community member and attempted to destroy the camera of the community member.

Walmandan Tent Embassy were told by a Woodside group spokesperson that the scientists were there on exploratory work on behalf of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). However the Broome No Gas Hub campaign group said they contacted the EPA to confirm this and that the EPA had not seconded any such work.

Mr Roe was both disgusted and disturbed by the Woodside presence.

"They have no business being on country. Why are they lying about being there on behalf of the EPA? What have they got to hide?" said Mr Roe.

The Gooloorabooloo Law Boss said that the State Government and Woodside need to explain why they were there, why they lied about being there on EPA business, why they had not sought clearances from the Traditional Owners, and that they had to "come clean" about the nature of their objectives.

The site is home to possibly the world's largest dinosaur footprint, and Law Bosses and Elders, Walmandan Tent Embassy and the Broome No Gas Hub campaigners are concerned that Woodside are trying to locate the cultural, geological and palaeontological site with the purpose of "seeking to remove or damage this dinosaur trackway of global significance." The intertidal zone they entered is sensitive to damage, including reef damage, and is protected by the local peoples.

Local researcher in dinosaurs Nigel Clarke said the trackways are of global significance. "This entire area of coast has been granted protection by Federal Environment minister Tony Burke."

"Why didn't (Woodside) consult with leading palaeontologists who are experts in this area?" said Mr Clarke.

"Why did they not consult with Traditional Custodians of the Song Cycle that these trackways are part of?" said Mr Roe.

LINKS:

http://indymedia.org.au/2012/09/22/barnetts-browse-basin-bill-is-a-pando...
The $40 billion Browse Basin gas hub project at James Price Point (Walmandan) Is teetering but not if Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett will have anything to do with it. Premier Barnett, who also holds the portfolio of State Development, has introduced into Parliament the ‘Browse (Land) Agreement Bill 2012’, presumably to confine offshore gas processing to the single site on the Kimberley coast.

http://indymedia.org.au/2012/05/29/walmandan-tent-embassy-young-and-old-...
Walmandan Tent Embassy has held strong for near a year at James Price Point however after it was recently uncovered that Woodside Petroleum had applied for clearances to drill on Aboriginal sacred sites it is clear that tensions between Traditional Owners and the state government backed Woodside-led-joint-venture to build a gas hub will escalate to new heights.

http://handsoffcountry.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/woodside-genocide-at-walm...

http://www.nit.com.au/opinion/1775-saving-walmandan-and-saving-the-whale...
Woodside Board directors and executive managers and Woodside's former venture partner of Chevron in the $40 billion Browse Basin LNG development proposal on Walmandan country were angry at the compulsory acquisition threats by West Australian Premier, Colin Barnett, a source within Woodside said.

http://www.nit.com.au/news/361-we-wont-leave-walmandan.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zKf64hCROo