Anti-gas group snubs Premier

Colin Barnett is demanding an explanation from anti-gas protesters after he flew to Broome to meet them and they cancelled the meeting.

The Premier promised to meet the Broome Community No Gas Campaign group after being heckled during a pre-election visit to Broome in January.

On a one-day visit to the town last week, Mr Barnett had been under the impression a room had been booked for a meeting with the group at Lotteries House.

Two hours before, the lobby group told his office they would not meet the Premier. Mr Barnett still went to the agreed destination in case any protesters were there only to find the room was occupied by the Kimberley Interpreting Service.

He walked inside and spent several minutes chatting with several Aboriginal language interpreters.

“I think the community deserves some explanation as to why they (protesters) would invite the Premier of the State to come and meet with them, the Premier of the State turns up as promised and two hours before the meeting they pull out,” Mr Barnett said.

“I don’t think that reflects well on the group.” The lobbyists cancelled the room booking.

“Only six weeks into government I come here to honour that commitment,” he said.

“There are clearly different points of view and clearly environmental issues but I can’t read it — whether they couldn’t get a crowd together or they simply lost interest.”

Broome Community No Gas Campaign spokeswoman Nik Weavers said anti-gas hub protesters met in Broome on Wednesday and decided not to proceed with the meeting.

“This was partly because it was not going to be a public forum and partly because it was not going to be possible to ask a myriad of questions in an hour,” she said.

Mr Barnett confirmed he wanted to develop James Price Point as a world-class supply base for the offshore oil and gas industry — a process that would require compulsory acquisition of the land.

“There needs to be a supply base somewhere,” he said.

“My greatest fear is that they will use Darwin as a supply base or Singapore.

“That would mean no benefits to the local community.”

Mr Barnett said a supply base would provide opportunities for Aboriginal employment and training, and give the Broome community “a bit of a boost”.

He said he hoped the townspeople would support the proposal.

“You have to look at where the children at school in Broome are going to get jobs,” he said.

Mr Barnett said Cabinet was yet to consider compulsory acquisition for a supply base but if one was to be on the cards, the land buy-up would be necessary.

“Cabinet is yet to consider it (compulsory acquisition) but for that to happen (build a supply base) the Government would need to go ahead with that acquisition,” he said.