Labor Party to vote on extending ban to Kimberley and Mid West
This proposal, put forward for environmental approval, was submitted to the public in thousands in 2024.
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EPA deputy administrator Lee McIntosh said WAtoday In that case The plan had high levels of public interest and the potential to impact the environment in a variety of ways.
Environmental groups say the plans threaten the National Heritage-listed Martuwarra Fitzroy River, a registered Aboriginal heritage site.
The river is also the last global stronghold of critically endangered freshwater sawfish.
If Black Mountain’s Valhalla bid were successful and went into commercial production, the most likely route to international markets would be through Woodside’s North West Shelf gas facility near Karratha, almost 1,000 kilometers away.
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt recently approved extending the life of the North West Shelf gas project to 2070.
A WA Labor policy group has proposed extending the fracking ban to cover 100 per cent of the state, despite strong words from Premier Roger Cook in the past supporting the current fracking policy as a “balanced and responsible” policy.
This weekend’s state conference will be the first with the newly elected WA Labor Party team, and protesters will take to the stage on Saturday to encourage those in attendance to vote to extend the ban.
What will the protesters do?
They plan to hand out chocolate bilbies to party members to drive home their argument that fracking is a threat to greater bilby habitat.
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They will also distribute information informing members about the dangers of fracking, which they hope will be read before the vote is taken.
Environs Kimberley managing director Martin Pritchard said the idea of fracking was “not very popular” in Western Australia.
He said a community campaign opposing Labour’s current support for fracking in the Kimberley “almost saw both state and federal Fremantle Labor MPs lose their seats at the last election”.
“Texas frackers Black Mountain Energy are in the final evaluation stages and could drill on-ground fracking in the Kimberley as soon as next year,” he said.
“We thank Labor rank-and-file members and key unions for supporting Traditional Owners in the Kimberley who want fracking banned in their country.”
Lock the Door Alliance state campaign co-ordinator Simone van Hattem said: “Labour members and voters want this ban. Now it’s up to Prime Minister Cook to make it happen.”
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