It seems that the WA government have a long list of things that are awesome and they're slowly ticking them off one by one as they completely screw them up in exchange for a few fast dollars...
so sad

It's the FEDS and I hope they exclude the useless plicks that stuffed up the Montana well and are fighting tooth and nail to stop the authorities from getting all the info regarding their stupidity.

From memory I think it's a Thai outfit of cowboys called something like PPTE ??? or something similar. Third world practices in a world class environment.

The b__stards should have all permits revoked for sheer stupidity reasons.

shark said...

Poida said...

after the debacle of the oil well drilled on the north west coast leaking oil into the ocean I think its a bad idea.

the ocean water in the margaret river area is pristine. the govt dont really care about that though, they are total dicks.

is it federal or state that are approving it?

people in Margaret River utilize resources as much or more than others-why should they be exempt? I might be wrong, but Im pretty sure that Margaret River (and surrounds) is the centre of the NIMBY syndrome.
People move there and then whinge that others are moving there. They dont want water sucked out of the ground for Perth-Oh and dont want it desalinated there either. "But please buy our overpriced and overhyped food"
It wouldnt be hard to conclude they seem to think that the rest of WA is there for their convenience.
Article in the weekend paper was pretty funny re; Service in MR. Mind you it pretty much applies in all of WA restaurants.

agree..

i guess the alternatives could be

placing wave generators on main break!
taking the residents off the fossil fuel grid!
shire implementing a public transport system involving bicycles and horses.
everyone there living an Amish lifestyle.

It will happen. Have a at look at the whats around exmouth, im on a production platform now and i can see 3 more, and two rigs drillng new wells. Just because there is exploration does not mean it is viable to extract it from the ground.

Poida said...

shark said...

Poida said...

after the debacle of the oil well drilled on the north west coast leaking oil into the ocean I think its a bad idea.

the ocean water in the margaret river area is pristine. the govt dont really care about that though, they are total dicks.

is it federal or state that are approving it?

people in Margaret River utilize resources as much or more than others-why should they be exempt? I might be wrong, but Im pretty sure that Margaret River (and surrounds) is the centre of the NIMBY syndrome.
People move there and then whinge that others are moving there. They dont want water sucked out of the ground for Perth-Oh and dont want it desalinated there either. "But please buy our overpriced and overhyped food"
It wouldnt be hard to conclude they seem to think that the rest of WA is there for their convenience.
Article in the weekend paper was pretty funny re; Service in MR. Mind you it pretty much applies in all of WA restaurants.

coz the ocean water hasnt been rooted there yet and exploration has a bigger risk of rooting it.. And exploration companies environmental scientist doing the report isnt on the rig drilling a hole and cutting the corners to get the hole in the ground.

I dont know about restaurants or nimbys, just the ocean water quality is better than anywhere else I have been.

pretty much the same water as up north-given the Leeuwin Current's antics.
Having worked on the ocean for many years from Kimberly's to Esperance, I can assure you there is F-all difference in the water quality between up north and down south.

much like buying Evian at $10 for 375ml and Black and Gold at $3 for 2 litres-its all in the name!

Oil exploration off SW approved
JANE HAMMOND
May 17, 2010, 2:20 pm

UPDATE: Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson has opened the way to oil and gas exploration off the south-west of WA in an area currently being considered for protection by Environment Minister Peter Garrett.

The area, known as the Mentelle Basin, covers more than 13,000 sqkm of ocean off Margaret River and was being assessed for inclusion in a marine sanctuary because of its unique qualities, pristine environment and rich biodiversity of marine life.

The decision has angered conservationists who say it pre-empts the outcome of the marine sanctuary assessment process and should have been put off until after the Montara Commission of Inquiry is finalised.

A coalition of conservation groups, including the Conservation Council of WA and the Pew Environment Group, said Mr Ferguson's decision placed unique marine life at risk less than 90km offshore from Margaret River.

Mr Ferguson said there had been calls for a moratorium on releasing new areas for exploration in the aftermath of a series of oil related disasters, including those in the Gulf of Mexico and the Montara disaster off the Kimberley coast, but "shutting down the industry" was not an option.

He said the Mentelle Basin offered one of the most promising areas for new oil discovery.

But conservation groups have condemned the Federal Government decision to allow oil and gas exploration off the coast of one of Australia’s best-known tourism and environmental regions. Margaret River is internationally renowned for its surfing, tourism and wine industries.

Michelle Grady from Pew Environment Group and Save Our Marine Life alliance said important feeding grounds would now be placed at risk of any oil spill or other pollution.

"The actions of the Federal Resources Minister stand in stark contrast to those of the President Obama, who put a freeze on all new oil and gas approvals off the United States within days of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill," Ms Grady said.

"The Minister has jumped the gun on critical protection of the marine environment."

Tim Nicol from Save Our Marine Life said less than one per cent of the south-west marine region has any protection in place, despite there being a higher level of unique marine life found there than on the Great Barrier Reef.

"A groundswell of community concern, including 2000 letters to the Federal Resources Minister, is growing in the local communities that may lose the opportunity of marine sanctuaries and gain instead the risk of oil spills," Dr Nicol said.

Dr Nicol said that over the past 18 months, 76 oil and gas approvals had been made in Australian waters while no marine reserves had been declared.

Almost 20 per cent of WA’s marine environment was already tied up in oil and gas leases, while less than one per cent was protected, he said.

World Wildlife Fund WA director Paul Gamblin said it beggared belief the Federal Government was opening new oil and gas leases while the Montara oil spill was still being investigated.

“We still don’t know exactly what went wrong,” Mr Gamblin said.

“To release all this new acreage post-Montara, and while there’s still a massive oil spill happening in the Gulf of Mexico, is premature.

“Until you know otherwise, you have to assume that could happen anywhere.”

Mr Gamblin said any oil spill in the southwest would not only devastate the environment, but destroy tourism, fishing and other local industry.

“The Margaret River region is a very special place,” he said.
“It has not only environmental values, but strong community values as well.

“This news will be of great concern to many people across WA and beyond.”

A spokesman for Mr Ferguson said the Margaret River coastal area would still be evaluated as a marine reserve by the Federal Environment Department, but within the framework of existing oil and gas leases.
He said there was no conflict between the two.

Last weekend, nearly 300 people voiced their concerns at the proposal to allow exploration in the Mentelle Basin at a protest meeting in Margaret River.

getfunky said...

I wouldn't like to see exploration relatively close to MR but MR is TOTALLY overrated and has been for a l o n g time.

Greed and property has absolutely fkd MR and Dunsborough (even worse in DB).

20 yrs ago MR was beautiful. Now it's full of wannabe Euro trash cafenistas and w@nkers who happily pay for the overpriced and overated vino, cafe darling food and snooty aloof service.

I feel sorry for the locals who wanted a quieter peaceful life. Oh well there is always Coweramup etc.

You can't get a look in now, everything is such a rip off. The "experience" that they are trying to sell you is just a big lie. A bit like comments in another post, restaurant service and food are crap or so hideously overpriced that you spend months paying off your credit card.

Caves House - what happened? Used to be no better indication of being on holiday when you could go there after a surf, sit on the grass, have a pub steak sandwich and beer. Now?, why bother.

Dunsborough has turned into just another suburb of Perth. MR is now a no go zone, talk about crowded.

BTW there is a HUGE seam of coal near / around Bunker Bay - good grade stuff as well from what I hear. But I reckon there is a snowflakes chance in hell that it will be mined. Best to mess it up with property development instead.

getfunky said...

Not kn wrong about the 'experiance' diver. I am long enough in the toof to remember a really laid back (and inexpensive) experiance that had no pretense, just great waves, bewdiful water, air and a nice vibe.

No better example than Caves house as to the poxy changes. Kickin back with a brew on the lawn (maybe even a spot o' cricket or kickin the footy) and feeling like a millionaire. Boy them were the days. So sad that now you do have to be one to enjoy the tosser clientelle and tosser service. The lawns that remain are too manicured to risk having any fun on them now.

Sigh.. I am fast becoming a crotchety old p***k who knows what agood thing is but also knows it got turned into a carpark.

Oh well enjoy what's left while you can i guess.

For as long as you can I recon, will be nothing left soon