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| 'It's not too late': Beeliar wetlands activists fight on as bulldozers roll in | 'It's not too late': Beeliar wetlands activists fight on as bulldozers roll in |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Amid furious community opposition, bulldozers have been flattening vegetation in internationally recognised wetlands in Perth to make way for an extension to the Roe Highway. | Amid furious community opposition, bulldozers have been flattening vegetation in internationally recognised wetlands in Perth to make way for an extension to the Roe Highway. |
| The extension – known as Roe 8 – has been fought by community groups in the courts and is opposed by the local council and state Labor and Greens politicians. | The extension – known as Roe 8 – has been fought by community groups in the courts and is opposed by the local council and state Labor and Greens politicians. |
| The extension, part of the $1.9bn Perth Freight Link, is being built through the Beeliar wetlands, which are internationally recognised and located just a 20-minute drive south of Perth’s city centre. The project was given a boost by federal funding last year. | |
| The demolition work has been delayed by protesters who have locked themselves to equipment, and expressed their anger with a 1,000-strong demonstration in the city. | The demolition work has been delayed by protesters who have locked themselves to equipment, and expressed their anger with a 1,000-strong demonstration in the city. |
| “They have bulldozed right through the woodlands and about halfway into the wetlands,” says Danielle Brady, an academic who lives in Perth, and a member of the Save Beeliar Wetlands community group. | “They have bulldozed right through the woodlands and about halfway into the wetlands,” says Danielle Brady, an academic who lives in Perth, and a member of the Save Beeliar Wetlands community group. |
| There were 38 arrests at protests on Monday, which delayed the work, but Brady says she thinks the bulldozers have made up for lost ground since then. “They went twice as hard bulldozing yesterday.” | There were 38 arrests at protests on Monday, which delayed the work, but Brady says she thinks the bulldozers have made up for lost ground since then. “They went twice as hard bulldozing yesterday.” |
| Concerned community members protested at the site again on Wednesday. A Fremantle resident, Sue Foster, says there were about 300 protesters and 60 police. | Concerned community members protested at the site again on Wednesday. A Fremantle resident, Sue Foster, says there were about 300 protesters and 60 police. |
| “The community has rallied again this morning,”Foster says. “Battle-tired, ordinary people – old, young, mums, dads.” Foster says some protesters locked themselves onto equipment again. | “The community has rallied again this morning,”Foster says. “Battle-tired, ordinary people – old, young, mums, dads.” Foster says some protesters locked themselves onto equipment again. |
| Foster says bulldozers cleared some old melaleuca trees, which were in turtle-nesting areas. But other bulldozing was delayed by protesters chaining themselves to equipment and others climbing trees. | Foster says bulldozers cleared some old melaleuca trees, which were in turtle-nesting areas. But other bulldozing was delayed by protesters chaining themselves to equipment and others climbing trees. |
| The Beeliar wetlands are an important habitat for threatened species, including the Carnaby’s black cockatoo and the forest red-tailed black cockatoo. | The Beeliar wetlands are an important habitat for threatened species, including the Carnaby’s black cockatoo and the forest red-tailed black cockatoo. |
| Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority concluded in 2013 that the development would have “significant residual impacts to the environment”, including habitat loss for those two species. | Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority concluded in 2013 that the development would have “significant residual impacts to the environment”, including habitat loss for those two species. |
| Bulldozer continues working 10m away from 3 women locked on in barrels. STOP WA Liberals STOP NOW. STOP bulldozing! #noroe8 #wapol pic.twitter.com/ZVYmh3fiwN | |
| And despite evidence of Indigenous heritage in the bulldozer’s path, with artefacts found dating back 6,000 years, the site was deregistered asan Aboriginal heritage site and the state’s Department of Aboriginal Affairs reversed its opposition to a proposed freeway. | And despite evidence of Indigenous heritage in the bulldozer’s path, with artefacts found dating back 6,000 years, the site was deregistered asan Aboriginal heritage site and the state’s Department of Aboriginal Affairs reversed its opposition to a proposed freeway. |
| The bulldozing is occurring just weeks before a state election in WS, set for 11 March. Polling suggests the Liberal government is facing a wipeout, leaving the highway unlikely to be completed after Labor vowed to scrap the project. | The bulldozing is occurring just weeks before a state election in WS, set for 11 March. Polling suggests the Liberal government is facing a wipeout, leaving the highway unlikely to be completed after Labor vowed to scrap the project. |
| Foster says while the area has now been permanently damaged, if the construction of the highway is stopped some recovery will be possible. “It’s not too late,” she says. | Foster says while the area has now been permanently damaged, if the construction of the highway is stopped some recovery will be possible. “It’s not too late,” she says. |
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