Seismic Testing

The majority voted against a motion introduced by NSW Senator Mehreen Faruqi (Greens), which means it failed.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) Asset Energy is planning to conduct further seismic testing for gas off the coast of Newcastle and the Central Coast in New South Wales,

(ii) seismic air gun blasting for offshore drilling creates underwater noise at extraordinarily high volumes, and it poses major risks to marine life of all sizes, including whales and dolphins,

(iii) tourism and local fishing industries rely on healthy oceans and have the potential to be severely impacted by seismic testing and offshore fossil fuel rigs, and

(iv) the community is deeply opposed to this proposal and hundreds of people have rallied against it along the coast of New South Wales; and

(b) orders that there be laid on the table by the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, by no later than 9.50 pm on 15 April 2019:

(i) all correspondence, advice and briefing notes prepared by or for the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority, the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia or the Minister for the Environment, regarding the Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 (also known as 'PEP 11') 'Baleen 20 HR Seismic Survey' approval, and

(ii) all correspondence, advice and briefing notes prepared by or for the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority, the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia or the Minister for the Environment, regarding the PEP 11 extension of term granted by the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA) in January 2018, including but not limited to, correspondence with the New South Wales Government between November 2015 and June 2017.