Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you. This accident happened on 21 August last year. That is more than a year ago. By the time the government releases this report—the minister said it will not be until the end of the year—it will be 18 months down the track. Eighteen months after this accident happened Australia may have access to the commission of inquiry’s findings and recommendations. In the meantime, under the existing regulations oil and gas production is going on around this country and more wells are being established. The transcript of the inquiry clearly shows that the compliance process needs to be fixed. Eighteen months after this accident, the most serious we have had in Australia for a very long time, the government will see fit to release the inquiry report.

If you look at the accident in the Gulf of Mexico, BP has already released its own report and there are more reports coming. The United States congress has already investigated this and made information public. Yet, here in Australia, 18 months down the track, the population may—only may, because although the government previously said it would release the report as soon as possible we are still waiting—get to see the report and recommendations. Then the government may see fit to examine the regulation that governs our oil and gas mining practice. That is not good enough. Australians deserve to see the recommendations and findings of the inquiry.

Question negatived.