Protesters 'occupy' Buru Energy
A small group of protesters have "occupied" Buru Energy's Perth office, outlining their support for "Pacific Island Climate Warriors" and opposition to Buru's plans in the Kimberley.
Buru Energy community relations general manager Jon Ford said there were "three or four" protestors in the foyer of their Perth office with another "10 or so" protesting outside.
He said they were causing no trouble - apart from loudly reciting poetry in the foyer - and were welcome to protest. He said they would be left alone until Buru closed its office for the day.
"I don't think the protest is necessarily focused on Buru, more on global warming," Mr Ford said.
"But we've given them tea and water and we'll let them stay there."
Action spokesperson Jaime Yallup Farrant said the action was targeted at Buru Energy because of its plans for a "massive expansion of unconventional gas exploration and extraction in WA".
"Buru Energy have recklessly ignored the science of climate change and the potential impacts on water, sacred sites and the Kimberley," Ms Yallup Farrant said.
"What Buru Energy are proposing is a huge expansion of risky unconventional gas in the Kimberley region of WA.
"These plans not only threaten this beautiful region, but will result in a massive increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
"Buru Energy have said they will not continue with these plans unless they have the social license of the community.
A spokesman for the protestors said they would remain at the office until Buru guaranteed it would not use fracking in the Kimberley, or until police forcibly removed them.
"So it is likely they will be arrested," the spokesman said.
Last month Buru paid millions to secure a prized cattle station that covers 189,000ha in the heart of the Kimberley.
The Yakka Munga station
Buru trumped five other bidders to purchase Yakka Munga and in doing so strengthened its access to oil and gas in the shale-rich Canning Basin.
In July Buru said it was deferring a program of hydraulic fracturing in the area until 2015.
