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

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) a six year survey of the Great Australian Bight (the Bight), conducted as part of a joint effort by the South Australian Research and Development Institute, CSIRO, the University of Adelaide, Flinders University and BP, has discovered more than 400 previously unknown species,

  (ii) the Bight is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet,

  (iii) BP and Equinor's own modelling of an oil spill in the Bight shows the scale of disaster that is possible, and

  (iv) Equinor plans to commence drilling in the Bight as early as next year; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to suspend all current oil and gas exploration and drilling licences, and move to ban future oil and gas drilling in the Bight.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government supports the safe and responsible development of Australia's offshore oil and gas resources. Australia's offshore regime has strong environmental, health and safety protections overseen by an independent expert regulator, in NOPSEMA, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority. Rather than unscientific bans, NOPSEMA relies on expert scientific evidence and will not allow any activity to proceed unless it is safe for the environment, the community and the workers.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor notes the motion, the new information provided as part of the BP assessment process and the concern raised around oil spills. Labor expects all relevant information to be considered as part of environmental assessments.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that motion No. 1343 in the name of Senator Hanson-Young be agreed to.