Majority of regulators barred from vote on $34-bn Australian LNG project
26 Jun 2012
With four of the five board members on Western Australia's Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) barred from contributing to a report on the $34-billion Browse LNG project due to a potential conflict of interest, EPA chairman Dr Paul Vogel is left with the final say on the independent body's recommendation on the future of the controversial project at James Price Point, north of Broome.
Explaining why the four board members were stood down Vogel said Elizabeth Carr, from day one of her appointment, was excluded from deliberation and decision making as a result of her previous employment with the Department of State Development, which was the proponent in this case
He said she never participated in anything, whether it was a site visit or a discussion, so from day one she was excluded.
He added, Dennis Glennon and Chris Whitaker owned Woodside shares in self-managed superannuation funds and even though, as he said, Woodside was not the proponent, there may be the perception of a conflict of interest, so he determined their exclusion from deliberations and decision making.
He said Dr Rod Lukatelich was employed by BP, and BP was one of the joint venture partners if the proposal was to be approved and implemented.
According to Peter Robertson, from the WA Wilderness Society, the board's integrity had been compromised.
