Stephen Bates (Brisbane, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's 2024 and, once again, we are facing the prospect of this government passing legislation essentially written by the gas industry for the gas industry. Proposed changes introduced by this Labor government regarding how the oil and gas industry is regulated look to strip and sideline the environment minister of their powers to oversee the offshore petroleum industry. These changes simultaneously undermine two separate ministerial reviews currently underway while carving out special protections for the oil and gas industry. The fact the gas industry is happy about this says everything you need to know. It shouldn't come as a shock either, especially after it came to light through a freedom of information request, that the CEO of Santos wrote to Minister King essentially demanding these exact changes.

The environment minister has said over and over again that she will fix Australia's broken environment laws, and yet here we are. The resources minister wants to quietly give herself the power to bypass any changes from these laws, with loopholes in order to approve new mega gas projects. The potential for one minister to be able to make changes in regulation but not have to review standards under environmental laws is abysmal policy. Make no mistake, this is a Labor favour for the gas lobby, and it comes at the cost of our environment and First Nations voices. Climate change is here, and our wildlife, forests and ecosystems are already at breaking point. We cannot afford weaker environmental laws.