2017-09-02
Hon Robin Chapple MLC
The last month or so has been so busy, Ive hardly spent any time down in Perth!! I spent a week and a half up in the Pilbara helping out with the annual rock art tour on the Burrup Peninsula. Its always a fantastic week filled with lots of learning from Murujuga Elders and Rangers, and Archaeological experts such as Ken Mulvaney.
I then flew up to the Kimberley to take part in and observe the Ranger Forum up on the Dampier Peninsula, which was an incredible experience in culture and traditional methods of hunting, gathering on and protecting country. Im hopeful I can get up to the Kimberley again in September to be a part of the Kimberley Land Council and Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Cultural Centres joint Annual General Meeting, which is this year taking place at Djarindjin/Lombadina on the Peninsula, and to meet up with all of our members in Broome to bring them up to speed on whats been happening down in Perth.
Ive also been fortunate enough to take part, if only for one night, in this years Walkatjurra Walkabout in the Northern Goldfields; an anti-uranium peace walk from Wiluna down to Leonora (approximately 400 kilometres) that takes place over 30 days and is just finishing up this week. A couple of my staff members – Tim and Connor ‒ were on the walk for the first and last week to do some filming, so look out for some content across social media over the coming weeks. For more information about the Walkatjurra Walkabout go to fb.me/WalkForCountry.
After leaving the walkers on Monday I drove down to Kalgoorlie for a series of meetings and to catch up with our core membership group for the first time since the election. It was great to see our Kalgoorlie candidate Jacqueline Spurling, and to have our State Director Sophie Greer there for some discussions around setting up regular regional group meetings for the Goldfields!!
In between all of this travel were a couple of intense weeks of Parliament. Labor have finally set up a Joint Committee on Dying with Dignity, of which I am fortunate enough to be a member, meeting for the first time on Monday, 4th September. Ive also held meetings with Environment Minister Stephen Dawson to discuss our plan to restrict plastics (he wasnt interested), and also make him aware about the effects pollution across the Burrup Peninsula is having on ancient Rock Art; with Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston to discuss Labors policy backflip on both uranium and fracking; with representatives of the Police Minister Michelle Roberts to discuss Firearms Legislation. In the next sitting were looking forward to our first Non-Government Business time for the year, where we can bring on our own agenda for debate in the Legislative Council.
Photo: Participants in the Walkatjurra Walkabout. Tim Oliver