2022-05-02
Media release
The Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, is campaigning with Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson in lutruwita/Tasmania on Monday to elevate a ban on offshore drilling in the Bass Strait as a key environment and climate test for the Liberals and Labor.
The Greens have made clear that their top demand in balance of power after the election is a freeze on new fossil fuel projects. In Tasmania today the party is calling on all sides of politics to commit to stopping a hugely unpopular (96% of King Islanders opposed) gas project going ahead in the Bass Strait.
The project faced immense criticism when exploratory seismic testing was conducted last year and sustained community backlash led many to believe that drilling would not proceed. 3D Oil, who co-owns the T/49P exploration permit with US oil and gas giant ConocoPhillips, was recently caught divulging to investors that it will commence drilling off King Island next year.
3D Oil has previously estimated that as much as 10 trillion cubic feet of gas sits within the area covered by the exploration permit.
According to new research provided to the Greens by the Parliamentary Library this would be a potential carbon bomb, emitting 545 million tonnes of carbon dioxide if combusted, more pollution than Australia currently produces from all sources for a whole year.
Just weeks ago the Morrison Government stopped fossil fuel project PEP-11 - located offshore of Sydney and Newcastle - due to significant community opposition. Labor leader Anthony Albanese also supported this project being stopped.
The Greens are also the only party to outline a plan for healthy oceans and Great Southern Reef protection this election.
Quotes attributable to Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:
“The International Energy Agency has made it crystal clear that to reach even the weak target of net zero by 2050, not one single new coal, oil or gas project can be built. Not one.
“This project is a carbon bomb, with the potential to release 545 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, more pollution than all of Australia emits for a whole year.
“The Greens are putting our foot down. This reckless plan to drill the Bass Strait must not proceed. The people of Tasmania don’t want it, it endangers fisheries and coasts and it totally fails the climate test.
“In balance of power, the Greens will push the next government to tackle the climate crisis, and that starts with not pouring more fuel on the fire. There can be no new coal and gas projects.
“Australia is proudly girt by sea, but our oceans are being treated like tips and quarries as well as being heated by the burning of coal and gas.
“Labor and Liberal need to commit to stopping this dangerous project, and like with PEP-11, they need to pledge this prior to the election so Tasmanians know where they stand.”
Quotes attributable to Greens Senator for lutruwita/Tasmania, Peter Whish-Wilson:
“In a time of climate emergency Tasmanians do not want to see our marine environment put at risk by new fossil fuel projects - especially off the coast of King Island where the livelihoods of entire communities depend on keeping oceans healthy.
“We need to stop blasting and drilling our oceans for the exact thing that is speeding up climate change and killing them.
“Labor and Liberal are both beholden to big donations from oil and gas companies - it is their party’s predictable greed that allows fossil fuel corporations like 3D Oil to divulge plans to investors to do what they want, when they want.
“The only way to stop the destruction of our oceans is to kick the Liberals out and put the Greens in the balance of power at the next election.
“Last year I introduced the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Fight for Australia’s Coastline) Bill 2021 to the Senate. This legislation would provide the mechanism necessary to permanently stop misguided and destructive offshore gas projects like what’s planned in Bass Strait in their tracks - but we need the numbers in parliament to ensure it gets through.
“New Zealand, Greenland, Spain, Denmark, Costa Rica, France, Belize and Portugal have all implemented bans on new oil and gas exploration – there is no reason Australia shouldn’t do the same.
“I implore the Liberals and Labor to quit using the marginal seat of Braddon to entrench culture wars and declare their opposition to the destructive King Island project.
“If opposing a fossil fuel project due to community consensus was good enough for progressive NSW electorates then it’s good enough for Tassie.”
“In a time of climate emergency Tasmanians do not want to see our marine environment put at risk by new fossil fuel projects - especially off the coast of King Island where the livelihoods of entire communities depend on keeping oceans healthy.
“We need to stop blasting and drilling our oceans for the exact thing that is speeding up climate change and killing them.
“Labor and Liberal are both beholden to big donations from oil and gas companies - it is their party’s predictable greed that allows fossil fuel corporations like 3D Oil to divulge plans to investors to do what they want, when they want.
“The only way to stop the destruction of our oceans is to kick the Liberals out and put the Greens in the balance of power at the next election.
“Last year I introduced the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Fight for Australia’s Coastline) Bill 2021 to the Senate. This legislation would provide the mechanism necessary to permanently stop misguided and destructive offshore gas projects like what’s planned in Bass Strait in their tracks - but we need the numbers in parliament to ensure it gets through.
“New Zealand, Greenland, Spain, Denmark, Costa Rica, France, Belize and Portugal have all implemented bans on new oil and gas exploration – there is no reason Australia shouldn’t do the same.
“I implore the Liberals and Labor to quit using the marginal seat of Braddon to entrench culture wars and declare their opposition to the destructive King Island project.
“If opposing a fossil fuel project due to community consensus was good enough for progressive NSW electorates then it’s good enough for Tassie.”