Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Resources and Energy (Senator Sherry), by Friday, 8 October 2010, the report of the Montara Commission of Inquiry.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Senate. On behalf of the minister, I inform the Senate that detailed government consideration of the Montara report is continuing and the minister intends to release the report publicly together with the draft whole-of-government response for public consultation before the end of this year. It is the government’s firm belief that this process will result in the speediest and most effective response to the lessons from the Montara incident and that early release of the report will compromise that process. The government therefore does not support the motion.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. This accident happened on 21 August last year. That is more than a year ago. By the time the government releases this report—the minister said it will not be until the end of the year—it will be 18 months down the track. Eighteen months after this accident happened Australia may have access to the commission of inquiry’s findings and recommendations. In the meantime, under the existing regulations oil and gas production is going on around this country and more wells are being established. The transcript of the inquiry clearly shows that the compliance process needs to be fixed. Eighteen months after this accident, the most serious we have had in Australia for a very long time, the government will see fit to release the inquiry report.

If you look at the accident in the Gulf of Mexico, BP has already released its own report and there are more reports coming. The United States congress has already investigated this and made information public. Yet, here in Australia, 18 months down the track, the population may—only may, because although the government previously said it would release the report as soon as possible we are still waiting—get to see the report and recommendations. Then the government may see fit to examine the regulation that governs our oil and gas mining practice. That is not good enough. Australians deserve to see the recommendations and findings of the inquiry.

Question negatived.