A deal has been struck to build a gas plant near Broome, which should cause the Japanese energy giant Inpex to reconsider its decision to build one nearby in Darwin, the Premier for Western Australia says.
Traditional owners of the land in Western Australia’s Kimberley could receive more than $1 billion in compensation over thirty tears for the land, after agreeing to the deal which could see the construction of a new gas processing hub, a report from ABC News said.
Woodside is one of the several companies plans to use the hub to process gas coming from the Browse Basin.
The agreement follows threats by Mr Barnett that the land would be compulsorily acquired if a negotiated agreement was not reached.
The Kimberley Land Council says traditional owners are feeling proud and strong after negotiating the billion-dollar benefits package, according to the ABC News report.
“This process has been about trying to create a positive opportunity for Kimberley Aboriginal people, a positive opportunity to change the overwhelming poor social impediment on aboriginal people,” said Land Council executive director, Wayne Bergman, in the report.