The Australian government is behind the proposal to build a massive natural gas processing plant on the unspoiled coast of the Kimberley in Western Australia. The "Browse LNG Joint Venture" involving Woodside Petroleum, Chevron, Shell, BP and BHP Billiton, if approved, would have severe and irreversible impacts on a range of unique and threatened species and pristine natural ecosystems and severely impact the social fabric and economic future of the region. Some of the species, communities and values at risk if the refinery is approved include:

• The nursery area and calving grounds of the world’s largest population of humpback whales;
• Up to five species of marine turtles including the endemic Australian flatback as well as greens and hawksbills;
• Endangered dugong and the rare, endemic Snubfin dolphin;
• Seagrass beds and unique coral, sponge and filter-feeder communities;
• Threatened remnant rainforest (‘monsoon vine thicket’) patches;
• Internationally significant records of dinosaur footprints;
• Aboriginal songlines of immense cultural value.
  

Other impacts of this development include:

• Massive freshwater use, potentially draining local aquifers;
• Dredging of millions of tonnes of seabed each year to establish and maintain a shipping channel for LNG tankers;
• 7+ million tonnes per annum of greenhouse gas emissions;
• Continuous and unavoidable marine and atmospheric pollution of a pristine environment;
• The risk of major oil spills and other toxic accidents similar to the Montara oil spill disaster of the north Kimberley coast and the Gulf of Mexico catastrophe;
• Major social and economic impacts on the communities of Broome and the Dampier Peninsula.

The Strategic Assessment developed by the state government of Western Australia is misleading and does not objectively review the forever-impacts of this project. It is not too late to stop this terrible, short-sighted project!

TAKE ACTION TO HALT THE KIMBERLEY GAS HUB.