Gerry Georgatos
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.
Goolarabooloo Senior Law Men Phillip and Joseph Roe, with family and community members are camped at Walmandan (the Goolarabooloo name for James Price Point).
"Our family, young and old, will stand in the way of this work, we will stop it," said Mr Roe.
On May 18, Woodside lodged a Section 18 notice with the WA Registrar of Aboriginal Sites seeking permission to drill on Aboriginal sites, however the Goolarabooloo, and anyone else were given only to May 25 to respond - one week!
Film-maker, anti-gas hub campaigner and spokeswoman for Broome's old Aboriginal families Mitch Torres said the application to drill on - and damage - Aboriginal sites is a disgrace and the tokenism of one week only for other parties to file responses is "unbelievable".
"This is Aboriginal heritage and history, tens of thousands of years old, that's being dismissed. This is the prospective destruction of the natural environment of one of the world's most pristine icons that we're getting a first taste of what's to come. This is why Walmandan Tent Embassy is there, why the Senior Law Men, the Roes, are holding strong," said Ms Torres.
"Strong questions need to be asked of the Kimberley Land Council and of the state government over Aboriginal heritage sites. How is it that all of a sudden the Aboriginal Heritage Act, the previous and existing assessments and protections, can be over-ridden so they can agree to drill and damage history?"
"In the 1980s many locations were sited and identified as Aboriginal heritage and were listed under the Act for protection, however since then, since the negotiation to strike the deal between the KLC and government, between some of the Jabbir Jabbir and Goolarabooloo, some of those sites are at risk, some are no longer being given the protections or assessments they were given in the 1980s. Strong questions need to be asked of the KLC and the state government," Ms Torres said.
It has been reported that the KLC has assisted Woodside in its Section 18 application. A Woodside spokesman said that in the event of the clearances being granted that representatives of the Traditional Owners will be involved in monitoring the drilling under a an agreed cultural heritage management plan and that they would endeavour to "minimise disturbances" to the sites.
"Who will be these people who will make these assessments? They will come from those who have agreed to strike a deal with the government. What is their cultural knowledge and authority? Who are these people who all of sudden reverse assessments made in the 1980s?" said Ms Torres.
Walmandan stalwart and Goolarabooloo Law man Joseph Roe said the drilling intended as a part of a feasibility study would damage long recognised heritage areas and the environment. The drilling program may include a section of the sand dunes which contain many heritage sites - gas pipes come ashore from the Browse Basin gas field.
In nearby sand dunes lay many now long gone Elders including Paddy Roe, father to Phillip and Joseph. "There are some of our old ceremonial grounds in the area, and this part where they intend to drill belongs to our song cycle and areas used by ceremonies for initiations, "said Mr Joseph Roe.
Mr Roe has contested the Section 18 application - and the Roes, including matriarch Teresa Roe (wife of the late Paddy Roe), have filed claims in the Supreme Court over James Price Point through lawyer Andrew Chalk.
Mr Chalk had previously written to Woodside pointing out that it would be a criminal offence to damage sites at James Point without the clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act and it appears they have responded by applying for them.