16th May 2024, 6:21 PM – Senate Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Legislation Amendment (Safety and Other Measures) Bill 2024 - Second Reading - Opposition amendments

The majority voted against two amendments to the usual second reading motion, which is "that the bill be read a second time" (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill). This means the second reading motion will remain as it is.

Amendment text

SHEET 2496

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) notes that:

(i) gas has been and will remain a crucial energy and manufacturing fuel for Australia, and our international partners, and we must continue supporting the development of new gas supplies to bring down energy prices which have skyrocketed under this Government,

(ii) the Government's disastrous record of gas policies over the last two years has left Australia's gas market in a state of disarray,

(iii) the last offshore petroleum acreage release was in August 2022, and the release was originally initiated under the previous Coalition Government,

(iv) since the Tipakalippa decision of the Federal Court in September 2022, the offshore petroleum industry has faced significant regulatory uncertainty, with some approval times extending to over 560 days without a decision,

(v) the Coalition has been calling for urgent regulatory reform since November 2022, and this has yet to occur,

(vi) the Coalition offered bipartisan support for the passage of this Bill, to enable the Government to progress the reforms needed to provide certainty to the offshore oil and gas industry,

(vii) a misinformation campaign from the Greens, Teals, Independents and environmental activist organisations has plagued the progress of this Bill,

(viii) pressure from activists within the Labor Environment Action Network forced the Government to amend their own legislation, weakening the Resources Minister's authority,

(ix) the amendment puts unnecessary additional burdens on the offshore oil and gas sector and gives the Environment Minister additional powers to undermine the Resources Minister; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

(i) support the Opposition's amendment removing unnecessary red and green tape,

(ii) urgently release new offshore petroleum acreage to allow for continued development of new gas supply, and

(iii) curtail the powers of environmental activists by cutting taxpayer funding to the Environmental Defender's Office".

SHEET 2624

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate notes that:

(a) there is an urgent need to clarify consultation requirements for offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas storage activities;

(b) gas plays a critical role in Australia's economy;

(c) natural gas supports our standard of living and Australia's energy security, providing over a quarter of our energy needs;

(d) natural gas is needed through to 2050 and beyond;

(e) we need continued investment in, and development of, gas supply and transport infrastructure;

(f) we cannot turn off Australia's gas without significant adverse impacts on Australians and our region; and

(g) Australian gas will continue to be required, not only by us, but by our trading partners".