Across Australia, thousands of square kilometres of our oceans are being opened up for seismic testing for oil and gas reserves. Here in NSW, this plan to locate and extract fossil fuels extends from Port Stephens all along our magnificent coastline to Wollongong. Much of the testing is centred on Newcastle and the Central Coast.
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Seismic air gun blasting for offshore drilling creates underwater noise at extraordinarily high volumes. It poses major risks to marine life of all sizes. Larger mammals like migrating whales and dolphins suffer stress and communication disruptions. Smaller plankton – the vital food for fish - could be wiped out, unravelling the food chain and destroying the entire ecosystem.
If this testing is allowed to go ahead in the face of guaranteed community opposition our beautiful waters would be turned into a gas field. Offshore drilling has big risks. A leaked report modelling oil spills for a proposal to drill in the Great Australian Bight in South Australia has shown spills there would have national consequences, with oil contamination on beaches spreading all the way from Albany in Western Australia to Port Macquarie in New South Wales, including Newcastle’s iconic beaches. These catastrophic risks are not worth taking.
In addition to the intrinsic value and beauty of our coasts and marine life, recreation and the local fishing industries rely on healthy oceans. The rock lobster, oyster, scallop and Bluefin tuna industries have all expressed grave concerns about the impacts of seismic testing. Yet the Federal Government has refused to act decisively to it rule out.
The Greens have been campaigning to give the Great Australian Bight World Heritage protection. Now it’s time to focus on the NSW coastline.
No matter how much the big corporations talk up strict environmental controls that may be in place, the abysmal track record of the fossil fuel industry speaks for itself through images of oil-drenched coastlines and habitat destruction world over. We should have absolutely no confidence in their ability to keep our waters safe.
Unfortunately, neither the coal-loving Morrison government nor the regulator instil any more faith that they will act on behalf of the community and the environment. The government’s lack of protection for the Great Barrier Reef from marine debris, climate change, overfishing and polluted runoff is proof enough of that.
Climate change is staring us down as Australians face intense heat waves and year-on-year of record breaking temperatures. We’ve just had the hottest January on record. ‘No new fossil fuels’ must be the rule in this time of climate emergency.
On this, we could learn a thing or two from our small but formidable neighbour. In a bid to curb emissions, New Zealand will not grant any new offshore oil or gas exploration licences. Australia should follow suit. As we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, from cutting consumption of petrochemicals and plastics to moving to electric vehicles, wind and solar energy, it’s clear the future is renewable energy. All our efforts should be on tackling climate change by rapidly transitioning to one hundred per cent renewables, delivering reliable, cheap and clean energy while protecting nature and creating thousands of long-term sustainable jobs for the future.
At the very least, the risks of irreversible damage posed by seismic testing demand a precautionary approach. It’s vital that we stop this destructive offshore blasting.
Seismic testing is not worth the risk of harm to the marine environment, let alone the risks of fully operational offshore rigs pumping vast amounts of fossil fuels off the coast of New South Wales.
Ironically, as climate change worsens, these facilities which fuel global warming will themselves become more vulnerable to the extreme weather events.
Communities on the NSW coast are rightly up in arms at the prospect of their beloved oceans and coastline being damaged. Like their counterparts along the Great Australian Bight, they have come together to protect our precious environment and push for a sustainable future. Our oceans and all who thrive by their shores depend on this.
At the very least, the risks of irreversible damage posed by seismic testing demand a precautionary approach. It’s vital that we stop this destructive offshore blasting.
Just yesterday, I saw first hand the passion of Novocastrians to protect their irreplaceable coast and marine environment. Before that it was the people of the Central Coast. Pressure is building.
The question is will the Liberal and Labor parties stand with them or will they side with corrosive fossil fuel industry that continues to make political donations to influence their agenda.
