Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Hansard source

Seismic testing in Australian waters has been undertaken safely for decades. There are strict safety and environmental standards overseen by an independent expert regulator, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority. NOPSEMA takes into account publicly available research findings in its decisions. A large body of international and Australian scientific research shows that, when properly managed, seismic surveys can be conducted safely. A three-year research program is currently underway by the Australian Institute of Marine Science to further understand the impacts on fish, invertebrates and plankton. To provide additional assurance, an independent audit of NOPSEMA processes for proposed exploration in the Great Australian Bight is being undertaken by the Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, and he will report by the end of August.