Goolarabooloo and Jabirr Jabirr say NO TO GAS

Statement by Joseph Roe, Senior Law Boss, Registered Applicant of Goolaraboo / Jabirr Jabirr Country, (which includes James Price Point).

Senator Louise Pratt has invited other Senators, Members of the House of Representatives and their staff to attend a Kimberley briefing next Wednesday. She is hosting the briefing on behalf of the Kimberley Land Council (KLC). The KLCs notice promises a presentation by KLCs Executive Officer, Mr Wayne
Bergmann, and senior men and women Kimberley Traditional Owners.

Senator Pratt is acting in good faith. However, the KLC has no authority to negotiate with anybody about the development of James Price Point. Nor has anybody else at this stage.

James Price Point is situated north of Broome, in the Dampier Peninsula. It is included in the Native Title Claim lodged in 1994 by myself and Cyril Shaw on behalf of the Goolarabooloo and Jabirr Jabirr Peoples (G-JJ). Other Dampier Peninsula claims have since been made but no other group has disputed G-JJs
entitlement to James Price Point. It is universally recognised as Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr land.

My grandfather, Paddy Roe, was Senior Cultural Law Boss of Goolarabooloo / Jabirr Jabirr country and the Broome area for approximately five decades. Shortly before his death in 1992, he and the other G/JJ Elders formally appointed me as his successor.

In 1987, Paddy Roe initiated the Lurujarri Heritage Trail. Its route, a nine-day walk along the Dampier Peninsula coast, follows that of the Northern Tradition Song Cycle that has been handed down to us through many generations. Paddy Roe wished young G-JJ people to learn about their Country and Culture. He also wished to build cultural bridges with other people. He wanted the trail to be frequently walked in the company of Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr Elders. I have carried on that tradition. Participation is greater than ever. Thousands of people, including Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr, other indigenous peoples, non-indigenous Australians and many foreign visitors have walked the trail, learning along the way.

James Price Point (Walmadan) is midway in the Lurujarri Heritage Trail. Its development as a Gas Precinct would destroy the trail. It would also adversely affect the other traditional activities carried out in that area. It would be a betrayal of my heritage, and responsibility as Senior Law Boss, for me ever to agree to its industrialisation. Most of my people agree with me. They share my view that no amount of money could compensate for loss of their heritage. They ask why they should be expected to sacrifice so much for benefits,like health and education services, that other Australians receive as birth right.

Mr Bergmann claims the Traditional Owners consented to the development of James Price Point at a meeting held on 14-15 April. That is not true. That was not just a meeting of the Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr people; it was also open to Djabera Djabera people, whose claim does not overlap ours, and any other person
who claimed to be of G/JJ descent. I have repeatedly asked Mr Bergmann for a list of those who attended and, of those, who was eligible to vote. He has never provided either to me. I doubt that that any list was made.

Few Goolarabooloo people attended the meeting. None of the Goolarabooloo people knew that the KLC planned to take a vote about entering an agreement with Woodside Energy and the WA government. The notice calling the meeting stated only one item of business: Update on Negotiations about the Premiers nomination for a Gas Precinct around James Price Point. Most of Goolarabooloo, who all oppose the whole
idea of the Gas Precinct, elected not to attend. They were not interested in these inappropriate negotiations.

Some months before this meeting, the Law Bosses of the Dampier Peninsula, along with Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr leaders, agreed that any decision about James Price Point should be made by consensus. Mr Bergmann knew this. Nonetheless, at the very end of the 14-15 April meeting, which had been dominated by discussion about the possible financial benefits of the Gas Precinct, Mr Bergmann called for a decision by majority vote. He ignored a request for a secret ballot. The matter was decided by a show of hands. I do not know the size of the majority. Along with several others, I had walked out in disgust. I have since asked Mr Bergman for a copy of the minutes of the meeting. My request has been ignored. I suspect no minutes were taken.
Joe Roe

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Goolarabooloo
• say
• NO
• TO
• GAS

[slessorpr]

Native title law seems to have been perverted into a legal loophole to allow native title land to find it's way to private owners. No matter who gets the money, that land continues to belong to the Australian ppl! Dampier locals want no part of any industry which fails to respect the spirit & principle of 'native title' rights. Semantic trickery & legal manoeuvering will not make development of this land right, now or ever. Would you want a gas mine next to the Opera House or Sydney Hbr Bridge?!

[slessorpr]

@AUSM92 I wonder if anyone told the folks who received the $1.5 billion that their claim was 'illogical'? If someone can pay big money, & someone else calling themselves the 'owners' will take that money, the buyer feels legitimised in exploiting that land, which shd NEVER have been 'for sale' under any circumstances, in the first place! 'Native title' has degenerated into being just another way for 'developers' to get hold of previously untouchable tribal land. Loopholes destroy good laws.

[slessorpr]

Since white folks came to Australia 200 yrs ago, they have tried to exploit this place in any way possible, irrespective of Native Peoples who have 'owned' this land far far longer than ANY European or Western state has existed! You make it clear how deep the cultural significance of this place is. The mineral wealth of bauxite, uranium, oil & gas make the Dampier Peninsula of WA a frontline target for greedy industrial multinational miners, keen to destroy this irreplaceable cultural resource!!

[Collieshamin]

Could I just ask, where is your web presence? I have been looking to contact these people and I can't find anywhere to do it. No web page, no facebook site, no community email contact. There are thousands around the world who will defend your cause, but if they cannot contact you, if they cannot share their experiences, you leave yourselves fighting alone.

[Fulltondano]

We should be saying "no Hub in the Kimberley" ... not "No Gas". No Gas is not specific enough. We all use gas so we need to be specific. The problem is with the Hub and the desecration OF ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES ON THIS EARTH. In 100 years time, not one of us will be left, it will be a whole bunch of new people. NO ONE has the right to destroy the country, it's not the property of Barnett and his cultural white ants. We must hold in trust for the next generation.