HEAVY police reinforcements were again used to contain a small group of protesters and allow Woodside Petroleum to deliver earth-moving equipment to its James Price Point gas hub site near Broome yesterday.
About 30 vehicles carrying more than 100 police officers oversaw the delivery of the equipment past about 50 protesters. There were no incidents or arrests.
Yesterday's police operation followed a rollercoaster week in Broome as Woodside geared up to begin a new season of drilling to determine the feasibility of the James Price Point site for a $40 billion LNG hub.
West Australian police and the Barnett government have faced stiff criticism from the public and state opposition for overreacting to the protest threat and wasting police resources.
But the heavy police reinforcements were not enough to prevent two Broome women, one a grandmother, from disrupting Friday's planned work operation by blocking access to the Woodside site by locking themselves to a disabled car in the middle of the road.
The women, Julie Weuelin,62, and Ali Batten, 65, appeared briefly in Broome Magistrates Court yesterday and were ordered not to go within 30km of the James Price site.
The women have been charged with obstructing a carriageway, obstructing police and breaching a move on notice.
Their case was adjourned until June 18.
Police inspector Bill Munnee rejected claims yesterday's operation had been an overreaction or waste or resources.
"The actions of the protesters is the barometer for the police response," he said. "If the protesters protest lawfully and peacefully we are happy to stand back and watch them exercise their democratic rights."
Save the Kimberley director Mark Jones said yesterday's protest had comprised a cross-section of the local community.
"There is not one protester here who is not from this part of the world or is a friend of this part of the world," he said.
Mr Jones said more protests could be expected as Woodside began its planned work drilling in the sand dunes and intertidal zone around James Price Point.
Goolarabooloo elder Joseph Roe said more than 100 family members were ready to act to stop the Woodside drilling.
