WA Labor called on to ban fracking to 100 per cent of the state.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In order for the total ban to be implemented, legislation would need to be passed by the WA parliament.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When asked about the issue on Saturday morning, Premier Roger Cook said it was important to balance environmental needs with energy and economic considerations.<\/p>\n
“We want to make sure that we protect the environment, and we want to make sure that Western Australians have access to gas,” Mr Cook said.<\/p>\n
“Ninety eight per cent of Western Australia is currently not eligible for fracking \u2026 so in Western Australia we already have incredibly stringent arrangements in relation to that sort of resource.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Roger Cook says WA has placed strict conditions on fracking.\u00a0 (ABC News: Courtney Withers)<\/p>\n
Environment groups back blanket ban<\/p>\n
Environmental group Environs Kimberley executive director Martin Pritchard threatened to campaign against a fourth Labor term in government if it didn’t rule out fracking.<\/p>\n
“We’re going to be working really hard to make sure that people understand what the threat is to the Kimberley, and we believe that’s going to be a major problem for Labor,” Mr Pritchard said.<\/p>\n
“Fracking is banned in the South West, Perth and Peel, and we want it extended to ban fracking in the Kimberley.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Martin Pritchard has called for a total fracking ban in the Kimberley.\u00a0 (ABC Kimberley: Dunja Karagic\u00a0)<\/p>\n
Mangala Martu Traditional Owner Nuriah Jadai said fracking had the potential to contaminate natural waterways.<\/p>\n
“We just want to keep it safe, we want to keep it clean, we want to keep it fresh for us, and also for the next generation,” Ms Jadai said.<\/p>\n
Nuriah Jadai is concerned about the environmental impact of fracking in the Kimberley.\u00a0 (ABC News)<\/p>\n
The state’s Environmental Protection Authority is assessing a proposal by US-based oil and gas company Black Mountain Energy to develop a fracking project in the West Kimberley.<\/p>\n
The company is proposing to develop “one of the world’s last large scale onshore unconventional undeveloped gas projects”.<\/p>\n
“Black Mountain Energy is committed to protecting the environment to achieve long-term sustainable operations,” the company’s environment policy statement said.<\/p>\n
Premier commits to lead party into next election\u00a0<\/p>\n
In his keynote address to Labor faithful on Sunday, Mr Cook declared he would stay on as leader of the WA Labor party into the 2029 state election.<\/p>\n
“We’re going to make waves, big waves,” he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Cook outlined three key priorities for his first full term of government as leader \u2014 healthcare, housing, and diversifying the economy.<\/p>\n
The premier also threw his support behind green iron, saying the WA Government would commit to prioritising locally processed steel for major infrastructure projects if it was made with more sustainable methods which release less greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n
“Currently, we import all the steel for these sorts of works, and this exposes the state to global supply chain risks,” Mr Cook said to media after his speech.<\/p>\n
“We’ve always talked about downstream processing as being that holy grail, particularly of our iron industry, I think it’s within our grasp.”<\/p>\n
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