John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to incorporate additional information in answer to a question and to two supplementary questions that Senator Siewert asked me yesterday about the impact of the Timor Sea oil spill upon Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone and possibly on Indonesian communities.

Leave granted.

The answer read as follows—

I am advised that satellite imagery on 1 September 2009 showed that small patches of weathered oil had crossed into Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), but not its territorial waters. The Australian Embassy in Jakarta notified the Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs as soon as possible on 3 September 2009 as a matter of good neighbourly relations and mindful of the 1996 MOU between our two Governments on Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response.

Since that time, overflights have indicated that patches of weathered oil and sheen have remained within Indonesia’s EEZ, closing to some 51 nautical miles south east of Palau Roti around 21 September 2009. Subsequent regular overflights however indicated the weathered oil and sheen had moved further offshore.

As part of the ongoing response to the oil spill, two vessels entered Indonesia’s EEZ on 23 September 2009 to conduct containment and recovery operations, using a boom and oil spill skimmer, on heavier patches of oil that had been sighted by aircraft. These vessels have been supported by overflying aircraft to direct them to the heavier patches of oil. Australia notified Indonesia of the presence of the vessels and their activities in Indonesia’s EEZ on 23 September 2009.

These operations were completed within several days and the vessels then returned to an area within several nautical miles of the platform in Australia’s EEZ

An overflight on 1 October 2009 was conducted from Darwin with two officials from the Indonesian Director General of Sea Transportation on board. On this flight sheen was observed some 62 nautical miles south east of Palau Roti.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) assesses that the type and amount of oil that has been observed in Indonesia’s EEZ is considered to pose no significant threat to the marine environment or any coastlines or reefs. AMSA will continue to monitor the situation and the Government will keep Indonesia closely informed of the movement of the oil and our response efforts.

The Government is aware of reporting of impacts in Indonesia and will discuss with Indonesia any concerns it has about the presence of oil in its EEZ, including assessing any question of damage or loss arising from the Montara Wellhead oil spill. The Government anticipates that the company would be involved in any such discussions if they are required and notes that the company has fully cooperated with the Government on the response to the spill to date.

Australia will continue to act consistently with international law and our strong bilateral relationship with Indonesia in responding to this incident.