Loss of millions is nothing to be sorry about

The Goolarabooloo lawman who has been fighting tooth and nail to stop Woodside’s LNG processing plant near Broome says he is not sorry his people have missed out on millions of dollars in compensation.

Joe Roe, 47, said he has no regrets over his resistance to the project, which promised to deliver up to $1.3 billion in benefits to the Goolarabooloo and Jabirr Jabirr people over 30 years.

Mr Roe said his people should never have been put in the position of relying on compensation from the State Government and Woodside.

“We are still here today talking about the same stuff,” he said.

“Do you really have to kill your culture, do you really have to kill your country to have all of this (native title compensation).”

Mr Roe said he intended to protect the future of the JPP site, which he said is sacred to his people.

“Woodside has said it might try to build a smaller hub there,” he said.

“Is it viable. That is the question. I mean the big one is not.

“I am going to keep fight fighting to make sure nothing get built on that country — small one, big one, medium size — it is not the place for it.”

Mr Roe ’s comments follow an emotional outcry from 78-year-old Jabirr Jabirr elders Rita Augustine and Cissy Cissy Djiagween on Monday.

Both women claimed indigenous people from the Dampier Peninsula and Kimberley had missed a golden opportunity for job training, housing, land and better medical care through “selfishness” and unnecessary fighting and protesting.

“In this process, did anyone feel sorry for me and my family and this community, who have been fighting this for a very, long time,” Mr Roe said.

“ I am not sorry. I am not going to say sorry to anybody.

“I am happy with the outcome and I welcome the Woodside decision.”

The Goolarabooloo were taking steps to split their native title claim with the Jabirr Jabirr, but Mr Roe said that has not proceeded and is waiting on the Kimberley Land Council to call another meeting when a vote will be taken.

He said the Goolarabooloo have asked Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke for a Section 9 order that will protect the JPP site for 20 years.