September 22nd 2015
“We thank you for your input and can confirm that our team will not be encouraging the Shire to cut ties with Taiji” – Lets get Broome moving! 2015 Election team.
On September 20th 2015 one of the upcoming Broome Election Candidate teams posted a question on their Facebook page,
“What is the number 1 issue you would like improved?”
Within a matter of hours the answer to their question became abundantly clear.
Cut ties with your Sister City, the Dolphin killing town of Taiji, Japan!
Hundreds of people from all corners of the world responded with respectful and educated reasons as to why Broome should reconsider their Sister relationship with Taiji while the inhumane practice of Dolphin capture and slaughter continues.
Shameful, hypocritical, a national disgrace, damaging to tourism and despicable, just some of the terms used to describe Broome’s un wavering support of her Twisted Sister town, Taiji.
Considering the overwhelming number of replies, this Election Team hastily put together a response:
What they failed to mention in this statement was the reason the Shire “reviewed” the sister town relationship in 2009.
Broome Shire severed ties with Taiji in 2009 due to public pressure placed on them with the release of an Academy Award winning documentary. “The Cove” exposed the horrific Dolphin drive hunts to the world.
Watch Trailer Here …
Producer Louie Psihoyos at the time said about Broome: “Having Taiji as a sister city is like having Hannibal Lector as a brother.”
Two months later quoting “haste” and “lack of consultation” the Shire of Broome backflipped and rescinded this decision unreservedly apologising to the Japanese Government and the Japanese community of Broome.
Interestingly Broome Shire Council recently redesigned their website and some documents relating to Taiji that were once easily accessible seem to have disappeared.
Some responsibility for the sentiment within Broome that contributed to the turn around and reinstatement of the sister city relationship must lie with those who oppose the bond. The strong feelings of disrespect felt within the Broome community towards the pearl divers that travelled from Taiji to Broome, many of whom perished, and who helped create the vibrant, successful township that we see today are understandable and regretful. We agree that the extreme actions of some misguided people that vandalized and desecrated the graves of those ancestors, some of families still living in Broome, caused much pain and anguish. It’s important that we acknowledge these actions which do not represent the intent or desires of the majority of us who think Broome is in a unique position to have a positive influence on Taiji to move away from the industries the Taiji dolphin drive hunts service.
It is devastating to note that since 2009 approximately 5560 dolphins have been slaughtered and 714 taken captive in Taiji, a total of 6274. Not taking into account those that do not survive the gruelling drive and selection process.
With the question, very loudly answered and a response statement made the 2015 Election Team were probably hoping that would be the end of the issue.
This was not to be the case, the ire of the public had been raised and further comments came in thick and fast. Another 100 or so comments later (factoring in replies would run into high hundreds) the Election team deleted over 200 legitimate posts and blocked every person who had voiced their opinion about the sister city relationship.
The initial question remained as did the teams Taiji statement, however It became apparent that the comments were still flowing, from those who were not blocked, when finally the team deleted their own question and statement.
Problem solved!
Far from it! The Lets get Broome moving 2015 Election team, if they were moving with the times, would have realised that you can delete and block on Facebook but that doesn’t stop the machine called Twitter!
And Twitter continues to rage!
There is no doubt that Taiji and Broome share a “deep connection” and no one is asking Broome to deny the “deep respect the community has for our shared history, the strong bonds of friendship and enduring family ties for those who play no role in this”.
But the question needs to be asked does Broome need to remain twinned with Taiji to share this deep connection? Wont the connection be respected and remain forever if its deep?
Anyone who has been to Broome will see that the Broome/Japan history is intertwined and will be forever respected in Broome regardless of if they cut ties with Taiji.
In Taiji, however, it could give rise to the beginning of the end of the barbaric Dolphin Drive Hunts. Surely the good citizens of Broome and Japan would be pleased to see this cruelty end?
So could there another reason that Broome is so hell bent on remaining tight with Taiji?
It makes no sense that an Australian tourist town who respects and protects Dolphins and whales can remain tied to a town, despite their history, that treats these sentient beings as pests to be inhumanely eradicated, unless of course they are pretty enough to be sold off to the captivity industry.
Could it be that that something else is playing a role?
Introducing…. INPEX, Japans largest oil and gas exploration and production company!
INPEX Corporation, a Japanese company has a long working history with Australia and Broome is at its Core.
I
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Browse LNG was a liquefied natural gas plant project proposed for construction at James Price Point, 52 kilometres (32 mi) North of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia. It was considered by a joint venture including Woodside Petroleum, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, Japan Australia LNG, and BHP Billiton.[1] It would have processed natural gas extracted from the Browse Basin. Liquefied natural gas would then be shipped from a port facility also located in the Browse LNG Precinct.
The onshore project was abandoned by the joint venture after Australia’s rising costs made the project unviable. This project is now to be developed as a floating LNG facility with minimal construction work to be undertaken in Australia[2]
The INPEX Itchthys LNG project in Browse Basin is one that is worth multi-billions and Its been a long time coming, but here it is…
“Colossal steel structures nearing completion in South Korea loom as some of the biggest opportunities driving economic growth in the West Australian tourist town of Broome, in what is an otherwise tough time.”
“The world’s largest semi-submersible platform, weighing 120,000 tonnes, is due to be towed from Korea to be permanently moored about 220 kilometres off the Kimberley coast in early 2016. It will process oil and gas from the Ichthys field for Japanese energy company Inpex.”
More on INPEX …
So could it be that the Shire’s talk of respect and strong bonds of friendship with Taiji is all smoke and daggers?
Is it more likely that Broome refuse to cut ties for the most lucrative of all reasons…, to reap the benefit of “harnessing the most powerful energy in the world”?
Would it really surprise anyone that Broome Shire would continue her sister city relationship with a town that is renown by the entire planet as the town of Dolphin slaughter as long as the almighty dollar is involved?
We hope not.
Broome’s citizens have recently taken on the Government and Mining companies, showing great fighting spirit for culture and environment.Lets hope that this spirit continues in the fight to do whats best for not only the land that supports Broome but also for the Oceans that support us all
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