[Greens-Media] Media Release: Premier’s blinkered LNG vision a waste of taxpayer money

[Mann, Maria]

Robin Chapple MLC
Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region

MEDIA RELEASE

Premier’s blinkered LNG vision a waste of taxpayer money

Tuesday 4th February 2014

Greens Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Robin Chapple MLC has called on the State Government to come clean with the West Australian taxpayers about the cost of conducting an erroneous investigation into the onshore processing of Browse LNG announced today by Minster for Environment Hon Albert Jacob MLA.

“The State Government’s decision to open up the now defunct Browse LNG precinct proposal to assessment by three hand-picked delegates is a complete nonsense and a waste of time, energy and resources”, Mr Chapple said.

“This is a complete waste of taxpayers’ money, an expensive face-saving exercise for the Premier, who seems to be the only person left standing who is still flogging the ‘dead horse’ of an onshore LNG precinct for Browse.

“The people of this state could be excused for thinking that Colin Barnett has completely taken leave of his senses.

“Why assess a project that doesn’t exist, that so clearly has no industry backing whatsoever? Is he stuck in some sort of a time warp?

“The evidence is in Colin. There are no commercial proponents wanting to establish an onshore precinct to process Browse LNG any more. It’s too expensive! Surely you’re not suggesting the Government bankroll the project.

“This project is quite simply not going to happen and the Premier would do well to accept the fact with some grace.

“Instead of persisting with their dreams of an onshore LNG precinct, the Premier and Minister for Environment should be putting their energies into ensuring the state’s and commonwealth’s environmental watchdogs are assessing the Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) proposals that will soon come their way,” Mr Chapple said.

For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255

Maria Mann
Electorate Officer
Office of Robin Chapple MLC
Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region
Ph: 08 9192 8128
Mob: 0427 935 052
PO Box 1048, Broome WA 6725
4 Boab Court, Broome WA 6725
(Main Office: 41 Havelock St, West Perth WA 6005)
(Phone: 08 9486 8255)