Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Today I want to speak to both the federal government's and also the Victorian government's decision to open up vast amounts of sacred whale sea country near the 12 Apostles for exploration drilling. This is simply unacceptable and flies in the face of both the federal and the Victorian governments who are making claims to be taking the climate crisis seriously. I and my fellow Greens colleagues have said this over and over again in this place: you cannot take the climate crisis seriously whilst opening up new gas. You simply can't, and there's no way to reconcile this. If we want to have a chance to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees and to avoid further disasters like the devastating floods we've seen on the east coast, not one single new coal or gas or oil project can be approved or expanded—absolutely not one.

Drilling in this area, like many others across the country, is opposed by traditional owner groups and locals, and this is a prime example of why having a treaty with both the Victorian and federal governments is so important. The 12 Apostles and any projects that may result from this exploration are on the unceded lands of the Kirrae Whurrong people of the Kulin nation. Not only does this site hold cultural significance as a songline for the traditional owners, but the 12 Apostles is also an iconic tourist attraction for the region, as travellers drive along the Great Ocean Road. The pristine coastline that surrounds these giant rock formations would be immediately ruined by any drilling in state and federal waters.

As a proud First Nations woman and the Greens spokesperson for resources and tourism, I want to speak in solidarity with the traditional owners and recognise their fight for sea country to be protected and, even when the media cycle has moved on, acknowledge the work of my Greens colleagues in Victoria on this issue. I call on the Victorian and federal governments not to allow any more exploration on this or any of our pristine coastline.