Robin Chapple MLC | Politician

Robin Chapple MLC

Phone: +61 8 9486 8255

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25.01.2022 Juukan and Rio research FYI: July 1997 Hamersley's heritage program. A mining company 'first'... "The program involves early consultation with relevant Aboriginal groups, total avoidance of aboriginal sites during exploration activities and avoidance of sites where ever possible during development projects" "Having a proactive and joint approach with the Aboriginal community to heritage work produces benefits for both Hamersley and the Aboriginal groups involved. These include: Protection of Aboriginal sites. Early consultation with Aboriginal elders/groups. Improved access to land. Avoidance of conflict and delays.

25.01.2022 HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED HEALTH EFFECTS FROM NEWMAN DUST? I continually hear stories from residents of Newman and Port Hedland who feel at risk by the exposure to fine micro-particles from iron mining operations in the region. This article states that in 2019 the Australian Conservation Foundation mapped Australia's pollution by postcode and ranked Newman as the second most polluted place in Australia.... I'm urging the State Government to implement free health screenings for citizens in the region and to strongly consider licensing options like those in Esperance that allow for ZERO fine dust particles outside of port zones. We've seen time and time again, that if we allow for anything more than a complete ban on the presence of potential damaging products in the air then corporations will allow them to remain at, or potentially above, those limits. For the health and safety of all in Newman, these operations need to be drastically changed and the well being of regional West Australians put first.

24.01.2022 Over fishing is a tremendous problem that my colleague Diane Evers, Greens MLC for South West is bringing much needed attention to. Sustainable practices are the only way forward for our economic recovery whether it be in tourism or industrial fishing. Throughout WA we must be mindful of our actions to not exacerbate issues other than those relating to COVID or we will have more to deal with in the future for during our important recovery period.

24.01.2022 NAIDOC Week has officially begun! I encourage everyone in WA to be part of the amazing festivities and learn more about the incredible First Nation's People's and culture that live all across these lands. Below is a list of all the events happening this week:... https://www.naidoc.org.au/get-involved/naidoc-week-events Enjoy!

23.01.2022 Immensely proud of the efforts of Tim Clifford MLC in organizing a Climate Rally last week outside of Parliament to support his Climate Act. Thank you to the hundreds of dedicated attendees who showed their energetic support in holding the State Government accountable for our collective future. The battle to shift WA to net zero emissions still continues, but I'm confident that with the enthusiastic and ever-growing support we see everyday, we will prevail.

23.01.2022 After hundreds of submissions and a Federal Inquiry spanning months the Inquiry into the destruction of Juukan Gorge is complete an the recommendations have been set. The restoration of the area and compensation will only ever go so far and will never fully realize restitution. However, they are an important step towards such acts of needless ruin being perpetrated in future.

23.01.2022 NEW LEADERS SAME ISSUE Rio Tinto is letting go 3 of it's senior execs including CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques, head of iron ore Chris Salisbury, and corporate affairs boss Simone Niven as it bows to shareholder pressures over Rio's destruction of the 46,000 year old Juukan Gorge earlier this year. But the many issues at the core of how such precious heritage was destroyed still remain. ... These firings will NOT affect Rio's operations and relationship with Indigenous stakeholders, nor those of the plethora of other mining companies operating within WA. The government approved section 18's that allowed for the destruction of the caves still exist and no moratorium on there approvals have been handed down. In fact, the only reason we know about Juukan at all was because the Traditional Owners the PKKP broke the gag orders present in their participation agreements to voice their concerns. How many more Juukan Gorge's have or will happen under Heritage law that cuts Traditional Owners out of the picture entirely? We need a new Heritage bill that brings Indigenous people to the table completely and functions as more than just an approvals process. We also need these unfair discriminatory agreements brought to light for the unconstitutional blight they are.

22.01.2022 These are the information session dates and times for the proposed Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill. They will provide a comprehensive breakdown of the 200 page document that will potentially shape Heritage law for another 50 years. I urge anyone involved in this space to attend these sessions, ask questions and make a submission to be heard on this important issue.... Every submission has to be read and the state government needs to be fully informed of everyone's concerns regarding this matter. So please do your part to make this bill what it needs to be to protect Indigenous Heritage for our collective future. You can enter your submissions here: https://consultation.dplh.wa.gov.au//aboriginal-heritage-/ Alternatively you can read the proposed draft here: https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au//AH-Consultation-Draft-Aborigin Or see additional documents and comparisons with the previous Act here: https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/aha-review

21.01.2022 Half the world's carbon emissions from just one percent of it's population! That's the reality of the world we live in folks. "Super emitters", as this article from The West Australian describes them, are flying almost every day resulting in magnitudes more emissions than the rest of us. ... But don't think we won't notice the real "super emitters". Big business plays by far the largest part in creating devastating climate change. Whilst we all must make changes to our individual lives, we can't look past the undeniable fact that corporations pollute, destroy and devastate more than anyone else. Until we have a government willing to acknowledge that, it will be a long road to a solution indeed.

20.01.2022 Absolutely disgraceful. We are in the midst of a crisis across WA and the town of Derby's only ANZ bank has reduced its trading window to four hour days, twice a week. We have people waiting for hours in above 40 degree heat to access financial services, with many having to drive much of the day to make the small trading window.... What's more, small business struggling in regional areas are being forced to keep cash on premises because they can't make it to the bank. Let me be clear, this cannot continue. It's creating a huge health and safety concern for the communities vulnerable members and must be changed. ANZ Australia do better. More hours, more days, better service, because right now you're worsening the ordeal that so many face in this difficult time needlessly.

16.01.2022 Throwback Thursday! Here's footage from 2018 when I brought some examples to State Parliament of just how bad WA's plastic problem had become. Whilst I'm content that WA Labor has listened, though some years later, to our calls for plastics bans there is still much more to be done!... We need comprehensive action taken to remove all unnecessary single use plastics from our lives, including barrier bags (those offered free at grocery stores) which the government is yet to make a decision on. We also need thorough communication and discussion with vulnerable members of the community, who unfortunately, rely on some important plastics for their everyday needs. Differently-abled members of the community are often unable to use plastic straw alternatives. Were they to be removed from their lives without an adequate replacement, would create unnecessary burdens. Let's all work together to remove as much plastic from our lives as possible, thank you for listening! (you too WA Labor)

16.01.2022 An incredibly damning piece from The Guardian outlining how lawyers on behalf of FMG made it known to the Aboriginal Cultural Materials Committee that they will not be following their requests for due diligence in their application to destroy Heritage. This comes after an application was made by FMG to destroy Heritage despite Traditional Owners in the area asserting that there was more Heritage sites that required surveying. The same First Nations group that FMG decided to ...deliberately withhold 1.9 million in royalties from after the group asked about leases in areas that contain sacred sites. The Eastern Guruma People's concerns were dismissed by FMG as "irrelevant".

15.01.2022 "The WA Premier and three high-level ministers have met with gas companies and lobby groups nearly 140 times since Labor came to power in 2017." Freedom of information requests have revealed that on multiple occasions the State Labor government met with fossil fuel bodies only to have donations to the party soon after. Woodside and Chevron have made direct donations to the Labor party and the report outlines such interactions and the governments closeness with these industrie...s as detrimental to fighting climate change. The Premier is having casual sit downs at cafe's around Perth with members of large oil and gas companies that regularly pillage WA land and Heritage meanwhile the average West Australians couldn't get a meeting if they tried. Absolutely disgraceful.

15.01.2022 The Nationals are proposing $50 million to fight erosion on WA shores but the reality and cost of the job is far larger. The effects of coastal erosion that we are seeing across the state are the result of man made climate change and this fact cannot be ignored. We can build and restore all the coastline we like but without bold changes to reduce our emissions it will never be enough.... Scientists estimate climate change will cause our sea levels to rise by several metres and no amount of restored or fortified coastline will be able to withstand such a catastrophe. The ecological and economic damage to WA will be enormous - the only way we can truly protect our coastlines is to embrace sustainable renewables for our future and pull the plug on fossil fuels.

14.01.2022 The WA Police Union has now deleted a tweet where it lauded the death of an officer despite the abhorrent context of his passing. The tweet referenced the officer killed whilst participating in the 1838 Pinjarra Massacre where an estimated 150 innocent First Nation's West Australian's were murdered, including many women and children. For clarification, this is the SECOND year in which the WA Police Union has made such a comment.... I remind you all that this week is our dedicated NAIDOC week for acknowledging the incredible, and oftentimes heartbreaking, journey of so many First Nations Peoples before and during colonization. Remembering our collective history is vital but there is no space in any progressive society to hold those who committed atrocities in any esteem. What happened at Pinjarra was a tragedy beyond words and an all-to-common occurrence during the last 200 years. NAIDOC week is here as a time to educate, listen and acknowledge and I hope we all take this opportunity regardless of career choice.

13.01.2022 Why is it that humanity (politics) is incapable of grasping reality, we are like the male Australian Phascogale that cannot appreciate that excess will lead to its demise!

12.01.2022 Some very positive news for West Australian animal fans! Here in WA we have some of the most incredible and diverse animals in the country but, they face constant threat from introduced species. The work being done now to control feral species is seeing tangible results and I'm very grateful to see it considering how close so many of our species are coming to extinction.... Every year the effects of climate change, land degradation and predation take a huge toll on our native species and firm plans need to be in place to protect vital ecosystems from being irreparably harmed. We can all do our part to support common-sense measures that reduce feral animals like keeping pets indoors where possible, along with neutering and supporting native animal rescues. But for now, what a tremendous result!

11.01.2022 A great piece to read on a Friday, the return of precious Heritage to WA. It warms my heart to see people so passionate about the incredible culture present in our state and to see it return to this state! Our First Nations people have had so much of their historical existence erased or stolen so this action represents a just righting of a historical wrong. ... Hopefully, it is one of many moving forward as we see our Indigenous People's history brought to the forefront of our collective past.

10.01.2022 Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day where the transgender and non-binary communities come together to remember those who died early due to their experiences with transphobia and hate. We recognize that today is both a painful and mournful day of reflection for transgender and non-binary people, as they look back on the lives lost, and the lasting impacts inflicted on themselves as individuals, and as a whole community. Today and every day we are in solidarity with the transgender and non-binary communities.

10.01.2022 After 16 years in WA Parliament received a letter today identifying my true worth,

09.01.2022 Such a perfect candidate to represent the Kimberley region, she truly represents the Kimberley community and will genuinely provide a voice for the people and not be constrained by any of the factions, donors or lobbyists that pepper the major parties. https://www.facebook.com/Naomi-Pigram-Greens-candidate-for-The-Kimberley-106292781329924

09.01.2022 Important Update to the news broken last month that Jadestone Energy has had an underestimated oil spill. Sources appear to have confirmed that the amount of oil reported to have leaked (77 litres) was largely incorrect and that potentially thousands have been spilled in vital ecological areas.

08.01.2022 There has been a lot of incorrect speculation circling the decision to suspend the inquiry into the destruction of Juukan Gorge but I can confirm it will be proceeding as soon as it is viable. It most certainly will not be cancelled entirely as some have stated but Members of the investigative committee are unable to travel interstate to WA to view the site, as per their due diligence, due to restrictions. Unfortunately, interstate travel restrictions have been recently tight...ened preventing this from happening currently. Whilst the chance is extremely low, it would be a devastating situation to vulnerable remote communities if transmission occurred as a result of allowing interstate persons into WA at this time. You can read the excerpt of the media release pertaining to this from Hon. Warren Entsch below: "Despite having to postpone its planned visit to Western Australia because of difficulties associated with interstate travel and the Western Australian Government’s recent changes to its quarantine directions, the Northern Australia Committee remains determined to pursue its inquiry into the destruction of Indigenous heritage sites at Juukan Gorge. The Committee will soon commence a new series of remote access public hearings involving a cross section of stakeholders. Committee Chair, Warren Entsch, assured all stakeholders of the Committee’s resolve to visit Western Australia at the earliest possible date. ‘It is vital for the Committee to see the destruction first hand and share the experienceand the consequencesof this policy failure with the Traditional Owners,’ Mr Entsch said. ‘It is vital that we hear directly from those most affected, the Traditional Owners of this country, and that can only be done in a meaningful way on country.’ In the meantime, the Committee has urged all stakeholders to be aware of the potential consequences of proceeding with actions that could cause irreversible damage to heritage sites. ‘No government and no company wants another Juukan Gorge on its conscience,’ Mr Entsch said. ‘If nothing else, the ongoing damage to Rio Tinto’s reputation should give pause for thought for all concerned.’" Rio Tinto has suspended operations at Juukan Gorge during the inquiry.

08.01.2022 RIO TINTO'S APPROVAL FOR JUUKAN GORGE MAY BE ILLEGITIMATE A truly monumental development may be occurring within the Inquiry of the destruction of Juukan Gorge by Rio Tinto earlier this year. Upon information coming to light that ACMC procedures were not adhered to we believe there are grounds Rio Tinto's permission for destruction of Heritage to be considered void.... New information shows that the ACMC quorum which gave consent to present the proposal to the Minister for approval had an illegal makeup of members and the lacked an appointed anthropologist, as per the regulations of the Aboriginal Heritage Act. It now stands to reason that the approval for destruction of caves at Juukan Gorge - and potentially dozens of other projects across WA - will be in credible doubt. As new information comes to the forefront we must remain vigilant and determined in our efforts to see the deeply flawed Heritage process in WA scrapped. The new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill needs as many effective and inclusive components as possible for Indigenous West Australians. We're calling for the complete removal of Claim Wide Participation Agreements in favour of individual project based applications that are negotiated on an case by case basis with First Nation's Peoples. To create a submission or read more about the newly proposed Bill please follow these links: You can enter your submissions here: https://consultation.dplh.wa.gov.au/.../aboriginal.../ Alternatively you can read the proposed draft here: https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/.../AH-Consultation-Draft... Or see additional documents and comparisons with the previous Act here: https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/aha-review

08.01.2022 Both BHP and FMG have rejected shareholders calls for a moratorium on the destruction of Heritage like we saw at Juukan Gorge earlier this year. They both claim that stopping this destruction will negatively affect Indigenous stakeholders and is not in the best interest of their "self determination". FMG didn't even take the submission from its shareholders as they claimed on a technicality that the hard copy had been submitted a day late, despite having the online submission... already made.. What is the state of these companies when they reject even their own shareholders calls for responsibility? This is why the new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill is so vital and why it has to be exactly right. Anything less will not be strong enough to prevent the ambitions of these large companies. Please take the time to make a submission to ensure this bill is everything it can be. You can enter your submissions here: https://consultation.dplh.wa.gov.au//aboriginal-heritage-/ Alternatively you can read the proposed draft here: https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au//AH-Consultation-Draft-Aborigin Or see additional documents and comparisons with the previous Act here: https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/aha-review

07.01.2022 You may have seen in the media today that the former Premier Colin Barnett is calling for a Royal Commission into the destruction of Juukan Gorge. Whilst I fully support such a motion it needs to be made clear that what happened at Juukan Gorge was symptomatic the much larger issue of how Indigenous Heritage is handled in WA. To understand how Rio Tinto and the State Government of the day failed our First Nations communities we need to look at the mechanisms that still exist... today which allow companies to destroy Indigenous Heritage anywhere in the state. A Royal Commission would give a far broader scope to the issues plaguing Aboriginal Heritage in the state and complement the current inquiry into specifically Rio Tinto's role at Juukan. This would be a vital investigation that would lead to a greater understanding of the importance of strong Heritage laws and ideally, the creation of a far better system under the newly proposed Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill. You can read more about the former Premier's comments here: https://www.abc.net.au//former-premier-colin-barn/12678126

06.01.2022 GIBSON DESERT RESERVE RENAMED AFTER HISTORIC AGREEMENT The Traditional Owners of the land spanning the former Gibson Desert Nature Reserve will see the land renamed to the Pila Nature Reserve after the finalizing of an historic Native Title agreement. The nature reserve will be jointly managed by the State Government and the Warnpurru Aboriginal Corporation.... The reserve covers approximately 18.900 square kilometres (approx 1.9 million hectares) and has been named after the local Aboriginal term for flat plains. This is a significant agreement and I applaud the Traditional Owners for their dedication and perseverance in achieving this most noble goal.

04.01.2022 JUUKAN GORGE JURY CHIEF HELD RIO TINTO SHARES Terrific piece in the Australian today about something I've been particularly vocal about over the years. Gavin Fielding, the head of the independent committee which gave Rio Tinto the green light to destroy the 46,000 year old caves at Juukan Gorge owned shares in the company.... He never should have been in that committee given his financial interest in the company but this is an unfortunately common occurrence. This is why it is absolutely vital that the newly drafted heritage bill includes as many Indigenous stakeholder and knowledge holder voices as possible. The decision must be in their hands not anyone else's or we will only see more of this in years to come.

04.01.2022 Scott Morrison has to use public money to prop up his fossil fuel mates because around the world, the gas and oil industry is in big trouble. As bankruptcies continue across the world, Investors are shelving Australian gas and oil projects and refusing all bailouts. Renewable energy is now cheaper than gas, and rapid technological advances mean big renewables will supply peaking power in the next year. The writing is on the wall there is a lack of demand for gas globally - o...il and gas giants know there is no future for them. Our future is in renewable energy that provides jobs and clean, affordable energy and a safe future that everyone will benefit from. Public money should be for the public good, not for bailing out a dangerous and risky gas industry and funding stranded assets. During a global pandemic, Morrison should be prioritising investing in solutions that support families and communities, not the fossil fuel lobby.

03.01.2022 Such a perfect candidate to represent the Kimberley region, @Naomi truly represents the Kimberley community and will genuinely provide a voice for the people

03.01.2022 BOM and CSIRO State of the Climate 2020 shows Australia is experiencing climate change now! The latest biannual report card from the BOM and the CSIRO shows we are now up to 1.44 degrees of warming, and the 2020 COVID slowdown has had no effect and still State and Federal Governments do nothing. http://www.bom.gov.au/state-of-the-climate/

01.01.2022 I want to make special mention of an incredible member of our community Desmond Bowers. Every year he has setup a one man protest outside of State Parliament to speak out about the ever-present danger of Asbestos to West Australian workers and civilians. He's made countless signs, flags, posters and other materials all from his own home at his own expense to campaign for removal of this deadly carcinogen across the state.... He also shared with me the countless articles that have been written about his efforts over the years including pushing for the removal of Asbestos from Gibbs Street Primary School. WA has the highest rates of mesothelioma in the country and if it weren't for the efforts of Des I think it highly likely those rates would be even higher. In the strong words of Des, those affected by Asbestos "are not numbers, they're people". We couldn't have said it better Des, and we're proud to have such upstanding members of the community going above and beyond for all West Australians. Thank you Des!