Proponents of a fossil fuel plan to seismic blast 45,000 square kilometres of the Southern Ocean have failed to properly consult with local communities according to a local federal MP.
Libby Coker has weighed in to the issue as Australia’s offshore energy regulator is poised to make a decision on whether to allow multi-national energy giants SLB and TGS to go ahead with the controversial proposal.
If approved it would allow for ships towing seismic devices to let off 256 decibel blasts every 10-15 seconds, through whale sanctuary, for hundreds of days in order to produce a 3D map of the ocean floor for fossil fuel prospectors.
Conservation groups had expected a result from the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) last Friday, but the member for Corangamite MP has called on the authority not to proceed.
“My community are concerned about marine eco-systems, so we do need to halt the process,” Ms Coker said.
“First Nations groups have come to me with their concerns, they feel that they have not been spoken to in a way that they feel comfortable with, they want face-to-face meetings.”
Ms Coker says the Surfrider Foundation and other conservation groups have raised concerns with her, as have commercial fishers and local businesses concerned about impacts on tourism.
“These are all important groups,” she said.
The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and Surfrider Foundation have welcomed the MP’s entry into the debate, and say they’d like to see more critical discussion around the expansion of gas and other fossil fuel projects off the coast.
“Especially given the Australian government is supporting an expansion of offshore oil and gas, so really welcome any MP coming out, not only to support their local community, but support the health of our oceans,” AMCS fffshore oil and gas campaign manager Louise Morris said.
She and others say they’ll continue to ramp up pressure on politicians as various energy projects progress in the Otway Basin and other areas off Australia’s coast, particularly in what’s expected to be an election year.
“It’s going to be a very interesting year with three live projects in the Otway Basin, two for seismic blasting and one for testing drilling for gas, and how these progress through the government regulator,” Ms Morris said.
Secretary of the Surfrider Foundation’s Surf Coast branch, Darren Noyes-Brown, says a paddle-out opposing seismic blasting planned for later in the month at Cosy Corner will still go-ahead.
“If by some chance it gets knocked on the head, it will be a celebration and everyone can come together and rejoice that this has been put on ice,” he said.
Mr Noyes-Brown played a prominent role in the 2019 Fight for the Bight campaign, that successfully headed off Norwegian company Equinor’s plans to drill for oil off the coast of South Australia, and says he’s “very happy” Ms Coker has entered the debate.
“This is the sort of thing that needs to happen with our decision makers, to get a proper spotlight shone on to these damaging projects,” he said.
“All the politicians are hearing is what the government appointed regulators are telling them, which are made up of ex-fossil fuel executives and they’re just telling them everything is fine…that environmental impacts can be managed.
“We’ve had marine scientists look through their environmental plans and that can be proven to be plainly false.”
