Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) all sides of politics have expressed concerns about extending Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 and oil and gas drilling off the coasts of Sydney and Newcastle, and

  (ii) ConocoPhillips Australia wants to look for gas reserves in the Otway Basin in an operational area of 4,089 square kilometres only 23.5 kilometres off the west coast of Tasmania's King Island, from 1 August;

(b) acknowledges the:

  (i) knowledge gap surrounding the impacts of seismic testing on local communities and local industries which depend on healthy oceans and coastline, and

  (ii) importance of the rock lobster industry to Tasmania and the King Island community and that any negative impact on the industry would impact on the community itself;

(c) further notes Liberal MP for Braddon Mr Gavin Pearce's statements, that the concern felt by the King Island community is genuine, and that:

  (i) ConocoPhillips must address these fears with evidence-based answers, and

  (ii) if ConocoPhillips cannot prove there will be no impact on local fishing livelihoods then the seismic testing should not go ahead; and

(d) calls on NOPSEMA to apply the precautionary principle when independently assessing the impacts of seismic testing and processing permit applications.