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

Something significant happened in this nation on 16 December last year. Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited Newcastle and formally declared opposition to a fossil fuel project called petroleum exploration permit 11, or PEP-11, which was going to explore for oil and gas off the coast of Newcastle all the way down to the northern Sydney beaches. Of course, the community were absolutely stoked about this. They have been campaigning against this madness for years. But it is unclear whether this is actually the case. I just want to put on the record that we've received some advice. While the Prime Minister came out and made this statement that this project would no longer proceed and that he would be directing this, we have confirmed that NOPTA, the regulator, did in fact let Asset Energy, the company that was exploring for oil and gas, know that it would not be renewing their permit but that Asset Energy is now appealing this decision. The decision is on the desk of the resources minister, Keith Pitt. Our advice is that it's unclear when that new advice will be provided to Asset Energy or when the decision on its appeal will be made. I would also like to put on record today the community's concern that the Prime Minister has come out and made such a big a statement but there's no clarity on whether we actually have a final decision and whether PEP-11, petroleum exploration permit 11, is dead in the water.

I will say this while I am here today: while it's great for a number of marginal seats on the New South Wales coast that we've banned the insanity of exploring for oil and gas off that coast, let's do it for the Otway Basin off the Twelve Apostles. Let's do it off King Island, a valuable fishing community. Let's do it around the entire country.