Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry) Share this | Hansard source

I do not doubt your ability there, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I rise to sum up on the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Regulatory Powers and Other Measures) Bill 2014. The Australian government is committed to providing a strong, effective and properly resourced offshore petroleum regulatory regime to safeguard human health and safety, as well as the Australian marine environment. In line with this commitment, the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Regulatory Powers and Other Measures) Bill 2014 proposes amendments to the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 to strengthen the offshore petroleum regulatory regime in respect of compliance, safety, integrity and environmental management objectives.

These objectives will be achieved by ensuring the commencement of important measures to clarify and strengthen compliance, monitoring, investigation and enforcement powers of the national offshore petroleum regulator, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority, and adjust enforcement measures for contravention of the act to ensure they are appropriate in application and severity in the context of a high-hazard industry.

Amendments made by this bill will ensure that the relevant standard provisions contained in the proposed Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014, which is currently also being considered by parliament, are triggered for use in the offshore petroleum regulatory regime. Use of these standard provisions is testament to this government's continued commitment to reducing unnecessary regulation and avoiding duplication of legislation by negating the need to include those provisions in the OPGGS Act itself. These combined measures strike a balance between minimising regulatory burden and maintaining this government's commitment to appropriate regulatory oversight for safety and environmental matters.

I wish to thank the members for Brand, Mitchell, Moreton and Makin for their contributions to the debate, and I note that this bill has the support of both sides of the House. This industry is an extremely hazardous industry that requires absolute commitment from industry, from the workers and from government to ensure safeguards for the people who work in the offshore oil industry. When I filled my current role in the previous Howard government, under Minister Macfarlane, I had the opportunity to go out onto the Stag platform and see first hand the issues involved in the offshore oil and gas industry. Safety is paramount. I agree with the comments by the member for Brand, who said yesterday:

It is a dangerous industry. It is an industry marked by great capability and great risk.

He went on further:

Work on the offshore hydrocarbons environment is important for our country. It is important for the economy. But it is not so important that it should bring with it unacceptable risk to the environment or to the health of our workers.

I know that Minister Macfarlane, who has asked me to introduce this bill and then to sum up for him, is as committed today as he was when the original bills were introduced in 2006 to ensuring the safety of Australian workers. That is paramount for this government and I am glad that we have the support of the opposition.

I do take objection to one of the comments by the member for Makin, who said that the coalition, as a government, had an appalling track record in this industry. I point out to him two disasters that have occurred. The Montara disaster occurred in August 2009, and if my memory serves me correctly Labor were in power in 2009. The Stena Clyde incident, which cost Australian lives, occurred in 2012—again, if my memory serves me correctly, Labor were in power in 2012.

But this is not about playing the blame game—this is about addressing the issues and making sure that compliance and health and safety is paramount. I congratulate the member for Brand on his comments. He was a standout minister, along with Martin Ferguson—as, indeed, was Minister Macfarlane in his previous term. They had the attitude and took the actions to make sure that safety measures in the offshore gas and oil industry had bipartisan support. There was not a hair between us in making sure that we supported actions to preserve life in this industry. We remain committed to continuing the improvement of the offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas storage regulatory regime. In line with this commitment, the government intends to bring forward further measures currently under consideration and development for progression in late 2014. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

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