Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Sea Bed Mining and Exploration) Bill 2024
As The Greens spokesperson on healthy oceans and mining I support the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Sea Bed Mining and Exploration) Bill 2024. In doing so, I flag that I will seek to move two amendments in Committee that aim to strengthen and safeguard the bill. I say unequivocally that banning offshore mining and exploration is a win for climate advocates, traditional owners and coastal communities who have fought hard for years in a bid to protect our oceans and avoid irreversible damage to the climate.
Offshore drilling can devastate the coastal ecosystem, including the whale migration route along the New South Wales coast. The exploration and use of extracted gas causes 84 times more climate harm than carbon dioxide. Two-thirds of Australia's gas production is exported; in 2019 Australia was the largest exporter of gas in the world. It should be the case that it is an offence for a person to carry out seabed exploration or recovery—or development for those purposes—in New South Wales coastal waters, and it should be the case that the planning Minister cannot grant or renew an offshore minerals licence or a petroleum exploration permit.
Petroleum exploration permit 11, or PEP 11, is an active exploration permit held by Asset Energy off the coast of Newcastle and Sydney. In December 2010 the first offshore petroleum exploratory well off the coast of New South Wales was authorised to be drilled under PEP 11. Despite the destructive consequences of these exploration activities, PEP 11 was extended in 2016 and again in 2018. In March 2022, then Prime Minister Scott Morrison intervened to reject a further extension of the permit, but the decision was invalid due to Morrison appointing himself to multiple ministries. It is shameful that multibillion-dollar oil and gas corporations continue to be granted licences that risk already vulnerable marine ecosystems to extract resources. The people of New South Wales want us to take genuine action on climate, and the bill's passage through the lower House is evidence that their sustained pressure, protest and grassroots action has worked.
On behalf of The Greens I will move two amendments. An amendment was passed in the lower House that leaves schedule 3 in place, removing potential exemptions relating to fossil fuels but allowing for their possibility otherwise with respect to minerals. Our view is that the clause should go entirely. I will speak about that more during the Committee stage. If schedule 3 is to remain in a modified form, it should be amended to prescribe that the environment Minister should have concurrence powers rather than simply a requirement to be consulted.
With the provisions we have raised, The Greens will support the bill because we believe in protecting our environment, ensuring that our oceans and marine life remain healthy and safeguarding against overreach. It is important to note that the work does not stop with this bill. All other States must have the ability to resist the influence of big oil and gas companies and follow this State's lead on banning oil and gas exploration. It is encouraging that the Parliament has ensured that, regardless of the Henry VIII clause, there will not be any moves to see coal and gas mining and exploration. That is a little step but a good step. Let us see where we go from here. It is fantastic to see all members working together to introduce legislation in this place that will have a big impact on the environment and climate. Let us hope we see more bills like this in the coming years.