‘LAID BACK PROTEST’

‘LAID BACK PROTEST’
Date:  Saturday, May 29, 2010
Time:  10:00am – 3:00pm
Location:  Lefthander’s Beach, Gracetown
Description
NO WELLHEAD on our SEABED
PROTEST ACTION on SATURDAY 29TH MAY 2010

PROTEST ACTION: 29 MAY 2010 – LEFTHANDER’S BEACH, GRACETOWN
Start 10am, Action 11.00am
Oil on our Beaches –Not Worth The Risk
When commenting on a rally organised this Saturday by the Surfrider Foundation Australia and Conservation Council of Western Australia, opposing the Federal Governments recent granting of permits to drill for oil and gas offshore in the Margaret River region of South West Western Australia, Surfrider member Steve Andrews commented “the world is looking on with horror as beaches, wild life and prosperity are trashed along hundreds of kilometers of the US coastline. One oil well could cause the biggest and most expensive environmental disaster in US history, why would we want to risk such an event here?”
Andrews went on to state “At some stage we need to ask ourselves whether the environmental, social and economic risks of such a catastrophe outweigh the economic benefits to a company’s shareholders”. He added “It’s particularly alarming that such an event has now occurred twice in the past 12 months, including off our own beautiful Western Australian Coastline”.
Andrews believes that thousands of local surfers and residents in the Margaret River area share his concern that the region has special recreational, natural and economic values. “Its one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, home to some of the planets best surf spots and tourist destinations”. He added “These values should be protected at all costs, and stopping exploitation of the sea bed off Margaret River for oil and gas is a good start”.
Andrews believes surfers and others will fight to the bitter end to see recent federal permits for oil and gas exploration revoked, and will carry their fight into the political arena and further to ensure the area gets “marine park status” to preserve it from future “catastrophic risks” posed by such activities.
Summing up the emotion of local organizers, Andrews stated “Any potential oil and gas spill offshore Margaret River would be catastrophic and would break the heart of the state of Western Australia, I encourage all concerned Western Australian’s to join us at the rally this weekend and let their concerns be heard”.
Details of the planned rally and contact details for more information can be found below or on the Surfrider Foundation Website www.surfrider.org.au <http://www.surfrider.org.au>

‘LAID BACK PROTEST’
Date: Saturday, May 29, 2010
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Location:  Lefthander’s Beach, Gracetown, WA

Media Contact: Steve Andrews – 0415 542 502

Plans to develop Killalea State Park have been shelved

Surfrider’s Woollongong representative, Ian Jarman shared some great news with us today, as described in the Lake Times article below.

SOUTH Coast Labour Council secretary Arthur Rorris has described the quashing of the proposed Killalea State Park development as the community’s reward.

“The community has found its voice – and it has roared,” he said.

“This is a victory for the whole community,” he said.

“It also shows what can be achieved with the community and the union working together. This is one of the most pristine places on the coast and the community already knew that and the government has acknowledged the community doesn’t want this spoiled.”

On Monday, it was announced the eco-tourism development proposed by Killalea Coastal Investments (KCI) for Killalea had been officially shelved.

Member for Kiama Matt Brown announced he had been informed by Minister for Lands Tony Kelly, that the agreement between KCI and the Killalea State Park Trust to provide for further development in the park had ended.

“There are no plans to reactivate the type of project envisaged by KCI at Killalea,” Mr Brown said.

In 2007, Mr Kelly signed an agreement to lease three sections of Crown land at the park for 52 years to KCI, a joint venture of Babcock and Brown and Mariner Financial, to build 202 units, tennis courts, restaurant and conference centre.

In 2008, the proposed eco-tourist resort was reduced to 106 units and other amenities. In the wake of the global financial crisis, Babcock and Brown and later Mariner found themselves in financial trouble.

Mr Rorris said plans to develop places such as Killalea had left a “very, very bitter taste in the mouths of locals” and any future plans should include full community consultation.

“The Trust should do the right thing and accept it,” he said.

“They should participate in discussions with the park’s other stakeholders to discuss the future (of the park)…

“It should be open and transparent.”

Save Killalea Alliance spokesperson Mairi Petersen reinforced Mr Rorris’ suggestion about meeting with the Trust to consider Killalea’s future. “The Trust is supposed to represent the community and I think up until now they haven’t been representing the community,” she said.

Trust chairman Ed Gilmore said the organisation wouldn’t be ruling out the possibility of another future development at the park.

“There has to be an income stream established and that was what we were trying to do,” he said.

“It’s disappointing that they didn’t have the wherewithal to go ahead with the project… we will look ahead to other alternatives.

“We have to look at other avenues and will discuss that at next Wednesday’s Trust meeting.” Save Killalea Alliance member Mark Whalan said despite his belief that the decision, “wasn’t a merit-based assessment, but was a political assessment” with State and Federal elections on the horizon, was “ecstatic, astonished and relieved”.

Illawarra Community and Environment Connection (ICEC) co-ordinator Sonya McKay said the decision should be met with excitement as well as continued vigilance.

“There had to be a point in which the decision-makers had to say that there was too much community opposition,” she said.

This article and image was replicated from the Lake Times http://www.laketimes.com.au/article/the_peoples_victory/

Article by BRENDAN CRABB

Margaret River offshore drilling lease approved

Thank you to everyone involved in the Save Our Marine Life Rally on Saturday. The team did a fantastic job of pulling everything together with the Conservation Council. A special thank you to Surfrider Margaret River Branch Members Gene, Rachel, Blair, Mez, Drew, John, Steve Andrews, Simon Butler and everyone who turned up and supported and helped out.  Thanks!!

On Saturday May 8, Surfrider Foundation Margaret River Branch worked together with the Conservation Council in hosting a Rally at Reuter Park, Margaret River in WA.

Recently revealed plans to open up a massive new oil lease offshore from Margaret River prompted the Surfrider Foundation and Conservation Council of WA to join forces with local SW groups in a call for large marine sanctuaries in WA’s southwest.

The Save Our Marine Life Rally will be held at 12pm, Saturday 8th May, in Reuther Park, Margaret River and feature expert speakers and performances from local musicians.

The rally came as plans for new offshore oil development highlight the growing threat to the Southwest’s unique marine environment; Resources Minister Martin Ferguson plans to release a new oil lease at a petroleum industry conference on the 16th May. The new lease would be just 83kms offshore from Margaret River and in an area designated for assessment for future marine sanctuaries.

Drew McKenzie from Surfrider Foundation Margaret River said, “This new oil lease in an area of proposed marine parks has woken up the Southwest community.  We realize that we can no longer take a healthy ocean for granted. It is clear we need marine sanctuaries to protect our marine environment and clean beach and surf lifestyle.”

Latest – Tuesday May 18, 2010

Environmental groups have expressed disappointment over the Federal Government’s approval of a series of new offshore oil drilling leases, including one off Western Australia’s South West coast.

The Government has agreed to release 31 exploration areas to the market this year.

A site 85 kilometres off the coast of Margaret River has been approved, the same site was earmarked for a potential marine sanctuary.

The Conservation Council’s Tim Nicol says the Government has ignored community concerns.

“A lot of people are going to be quite distressed that this lease is sitting off the coast of Margaret River with the potential for an oil industry to start there any time.

“That area can no longer can become a marine sanctuary so it really ups the ante on making sure we get a network of protected areas in place before more of this sort of development comes into the region.”

Mr Nichol says any oil development in that area will put local marine life at risk.

“Up to 90 per cent of the marine life in the south west corner of Australia is unique to the region. The big risk comes from the big spills like we’ve seen recently in Louisiana and Montara.”

Other sites approved for development include the Carnarvon and Roebuck basins off the north-west coast of WA.

Michelle Grady, from the Pew Environment Group, says it is the first time such developments have been approved for areas which are also being considered for marine sanctuaries.

“So, pretty much all the areas announced today are right over the top of areas that the Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett is looking at for protection and that’s because these areas are critically important for marine life.”

This article was replicated from the ABC

Autumn Newsletter Available Now

The latest news from Surfrider Foundation available now.

Visit http://www.surfrider.org.au/news/FINALNEWSLETTERAUTUMNFINALFINAL.html or click here to view the Autumn Newsletter in online magazine format.

Or, download the magazine to your computer here:
http://www.surfrider.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/FINALNEWSLETTERAUTUMN_websmall.pdf (2MB)

New Margaret River Oil Threat Prompts Rally for Sanctuaries

MEDIA RELEASE –30th April 2010

New Margaret River Oil Threat Prompts Rally for Sanctuaries

Recently revealed plans to open up a massive new oil lease offshore from Margaret River have prompted the Surfrider Foundation and Conservation Council of WA to join forces with local SW groups in a call for large marine sanctuaries in WA’s southwest.

The Save Our Marine Life Rally will be held at 12pm, Saturday 8th May, in Reuther Park, Margaret River and feature expert speakers and performances from local musicians.

The rally comes as plans for new offshore oil development highlight the growing threat to the Southwest’s unique marine environment; Resources Minister Martin Ferguson plans to release a new oil lease at a petroleum industry conference on the 16th May. The new lease would be just 83kms offshore from Margaret River and in an area designated for assessment for future marine sanctuaries.

Drew McKenzie from Surfrider Foundation Margaret River said, “This new oil lease in an area of proposed marine parks has woken up the Southwest community.  We realize that we can no longer take a healthy ocean for granted. It is clear we need marine sanctuaries to protect our marine environment and clean beach and surf lifestyle.”

“We want marine parks and also our politicians to more thoroughly explore alternative energy sources.”

Conservation Council of WA spokesperson Tim Nicol said, “Recent massive spills in northwest WA and now in Louisiana have highlighted the very real threat posed by oil exploration. If a spill the size of the recent Montara oil spill off Northwest WA had happened in the Southwest, there would be oil from Perth to Margaret River.”

“Up to 90% of marine life in the Southwest is unique, and half the world’s whale species use the region. Before we roll in the seismic ships and oil drilling rigs, we need marine sanctuaries.”

The strong science case for marine sanctuaries has been bolstered with recent high profile reports highlighting the need for more marine sanctuaries in WA1 and the benefits of existing marine sanctuaries on the Great Barrier Reef2, including a doubling in the abundance of reef fish within only two years of establishing marine sanctuaries.

A recent report by the Allen Consulting Group also found that there would be long term sustained economic benefits for the Southwest economy from a network of marine sanctuaries3.

Conservation Council is a part of the Save Our Marine Life Alliance who last Friday launched an email campaign against the new oil lease: http://www.saveourmarinelife.org.au/email_minister/

MEDIA:  TIM NICOL 0422235774

1. Report on the Scientific Basis for and the Role of Marine Sanctuaries in Marine Planning: http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/category/40/952/2323/
2. McCook LJ et al. (2010) Adaptive management of the Great Barrier Reef: A globally significant demonstration of the benefits of networks of marine reserves, Published in PNAS,  the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America – www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.0909335107
3The Economics of Marine Protected Areas, Application of Principles to the Southwest Area, Allen Consulting Group, http://www.allenconsult.com.au/

Save our Marine Life Rally, Margaret River

Reuter Park, Margaret River on Saturday May the 8^th 2010. 12pm
saveourmarinelife.org.au/email_minister/