Emma McBride (Dobell, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for Resources and Water. The people of the Central Coast are opposed to an extension of petroleum export permit 11, or PEP-11. PEP-11 will allow oil and gas exploration off the Central Coast, risk our precious marine environment and destroy local jobs. Will the minister support our coastal communities and reject this disastrous proposal today?

Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party, Minister for Resources and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For a little bit of context and some facts, for those who might be listening, PEP-11 stands for 'petroleum exploration permit No. 11'. It has actually been in place since 1999. We are, of course, considering an application right now. I'll be taking advice from the regulator, which is NOPTA. But I have to say I'm a bit surprised. This is not an application for a rig. It's not an application for an exploration well. It's not an application to go drilling holes looking for oil and gas. The only people so far who have approved that in this area are those opposite when they were last in government—the member for Watson in 2010—not this side, and yet you are here saying that what you did then is wrong now. I'll say very clearly that we are considering this on balance in regard to the law and in regard to the national interest, and, of course, we'll take into consideration the views of the community. We'll make a decision in due course.