Penny Wright (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am proud to speak today on the petition to protect Kangaroo Island. It contains the signatures, obtained in just a few short weeks, of 1,180 people who want to see beautiful Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia, protected from the risks of oil and gas exploration off its coast. They do not want to see seismic testing, with its threats to the marine environment, tourism and fishing, and they do not want to see the risks that would come with oil drilling.

As of Friday, Bight Petroleum have withdrawn their referral and plan to resubmit it under the new, streamlined application process through NOPSEMA. These signatures come from far and wide—from people who call KI home, other Australians and even people from overseas who cannot believe we would risk losing the very things that make this place so precious.

Bight Petroleum's proposal makes no sense. It is all risk and no gain for KI, and this petition ensures that decision makers know this. The Greens will continue to stand up for the KI community, and it is my privilege to speak to this petition today.