Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator McKim, I move:

That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:

The need for the Federal Government to unequivocally rule out approval of Woodside's Browse gas project following Western Australian Environment Protection Authority advice that its impacts on Scott Reef and its threatened wildlife are unacceptable.

I rise to contribute to this important debate today because one of our country's most precious places is under serious threat. Scott Reef, in Western Australia, is an ancient coral reef. It has been growing for over 15 million years. With at least 29 species of marine mammals, 41 species of birds and almost a thousand species of fish, sharks and rays, it's a very, very special part of our ocean.

Last week, WA's own environmental protection authority revealed their preliminary recommendation that Woodside's Browse project—that is, a big gas well—would have unacceptable impacts on the environment. Now, this proposal from Woodside is for $30 billion to drill for gas in the heart of this very, very special part of Scott Reef and would continue until 2070 or beyond. The Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia doesn't make these decisions lightly—in fact, it's virtually unheard of. This authority is saying the threat to the environment at Scott Reef is so concerning that this project should not be given environmental approval. The EPA says it will have unacceptable impacts on endangered green turtles and their nesting areas sinking below the sea level and unacceptable impacts on blue pygmy whales, who pass through on their migration. The EPA is very, very concerned at what would happen in the event—a devastating turn of events—that there was an oil spill on Scott Reef.

There are moments when big projects like this need to be called out for being unacceptable. We have some very precious and ancient environments right around this country, and over and over again we see development and corporations come in and argue that, because of their desire to drill in that area or to build or to knock down or to log, the environment will just need to cop it. Sometimes we need to say no, and the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority is saying, 'No, this is unacceptable.'

We don't need to change any law to make this happen. We actually have environmental laws. They are not perfect; they are pretty weak. But do you know what? They would stop this project in its tracks, if they were implemented properly by the Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek. So the environment minister has a very big choice to make—to listen to the scientists and the experts to protect this precious ancient reef, to look after the sea turtles, to protect the whales, to make sure those migratory birds and those very special fish and those shark species are looked after, to make sure there isn't an unnecessary and unacceptable risk to them. The environment minister needs to do their job. Rule this out of order. Agree with the WA EPA that the environmental impacts are simply unacceptable. This is no place to drill for gas. This is not an area that should be sacrificed just because Woodside wants it.