Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Hansard source

If the senator wants to say that it was overturned because they are exploring for gas, then she did not listen to my answer. The department is working with Woodside to ensure that seismic testing does not impact on marine mammals, small cetaceans and all affected fauna in the area. Woodside has been one of the leading corporate entities that have engaged with the department in a constructive process—along with the oil and gas industry generally—around the Australian coast to minimise the impact on all cetaceans, not just small cetaceans. If the Greens want to try to stop seismic testing off the North West Shelf they will be standing in the way of an industry that has a transformational benefit for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on this planet, and this is one of the crucial ways to address climate change. But that is not the reason the decision was made.