Green – Black Conflict over Gas Development in the Kimberley: a Sign of Things to Come?

WA’s proposed LNG processing plant has set Indigenous and environmental groups against one another. AAP

Conflict between Indigenous (“Black”) and environmental (“Green”) groups is a growing feature of Australia’s political landscape. This has been highlighted by very public disputes over Wild Rivers legislation in Queensland and the proposed Liquefied Natural Gas processing precinct (LNG Precinct) at James Price Point north of Broome.

Aboriginal leaders such as the Kimberley’s Wayne Bergmann and Cape York’s Noel Pearson say Green groups' determination to maintain “wilderness” areas – distant from the comfortable suburbs in which most of their supporters live – are depriving Indigenous people of the economic opportunities they need to end poverty and social marginalisation.

Some environmentalists have accused Aboriginal people supportive of major resource projects of selling out their culture and the environment for short-term financial gains.

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