Dave Tollner (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I certainly did speak on it, Mr Ferguson. I am very keen to stand up here and talk about gas issues. The reason that I am very keen to stand up here and talk about gas issues is that Darwin—my electorate—is fast developing into a significant gas and energy hub in Australia. We already have natural gas being piped from the Bayu Undan field in the Timor Sea—Bayu Undan has some 3.4 trillion cubic feet of gas—to an LNG plant in the Darwin harbour. It is hoped that, following this legislation, there will be increased activity at the Greater Sunrise fields in the Timor Sea. I think there are 8.7 trillion cubic feet of gas in that field. There are significant amounts of gas in the Timor Sea that should be piped to Darwin.

It would be my desire, although you cannot interfere in commercial decisions, to see some of that gas used for domestic use—and not just by Northern Territorians but by other Australians. If at some point down the track a far-sighted company wants to build either a gas pipeline or a high-voltage DC transmission line which would allow Darwin to generate electricity and move that electricity interstate, those proposals would receive my strong support. Irrespective of whether these things happen, a large amount of economic activity is generated by the gas industry in my electorate. The more activity that happens in the Timor Sea and the Bonaparte Gulf and other places, the better it is for our economic future in the Northern Territory.

That is why I support these amendments. I want to see a flexible and uniform regime for gas pipelines across Australia that will give companies certainty and greater ability to invest in these assets around the country. It is very, very important for my electorate. I am very pleased to support this bill and I commend it to the House.

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