Community and business groups in Broome and Derby were visited last week by a DMP community engagement team
| Date: | Thursday, 10 July 2014 |
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A DMP team gave a series of presentations on shale and tight gas followed by question-and-answer sessions during a five-day visit to the Kimberley last week.
A team from the Department of Mines and Petroleum spent five days in the Kimberley last week speaking to community and business groups.
The DMP officers delivered a series of presentations followed by question-and-answer sessions aimed at increasing people’s knowledge about shale and tight gas.
The visit was in response to community feedback asking for more information on the subject and the associated process of hydraulic fracturing.
The DMP team spoke to local media and a number or organisations including the Broome Port Authority, Shire of Broome, Kimberley Land Council, Broome Chamber of Commerce, Environs Kimberley, Broome Rotary Club, Shire of Derby/West Kimberley and the Derby Chamber of Commerce.
The team was led by Department of Mines and Petroleum Executive Director for Petroleum Jeff Haworth, who described the visit as rewarding and fruitful.
“We were very pleased by our reception in the Kimberley,” Mr Haworth said.
“It was obvious that people up there wanted to know a lot more about a subject of such importance to their community.”
Mr Haworth said that the DMP team had been able to allay a number concerns about hydraulic fracturing by giving clear and frank answers to community questions.
“We made it clear that we were not in the Kimberley to promote the interests of mining companies, rather to encourage a greater understanding of what’s involved in exploration for shale and tight gas,” he said.
Mr Haworth said that continuing engagement with the local community was a high priority and that another visit was under consideration for later this year.
The team members were Petroleum Executive Director Jeff Haworth, Principal Policy Officer Jason Medd, Petroleum General Manager Kim Anderson, Community Engagement Manager Silvana Traini, Kimberley Liaison Officer Brian Lloyd, Petroleum Tenure and Land Access General Manager Maryie Platt, and Principal Communications Officer Leith Phillips.
