The new ‘environmental safeguard’ amendments to the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Legislation Amendment (Safety and Other Measures) Bill weaken environmental protections and First Nations consultation rights. 

Federal Resources Minister, Madeleine King, recently introduced amendments to her regulatory powers, which propose removing the Environment Minister’s responsibility for overseeing the offshore oil and gas industry’s operations, handing broad discretion to the Resource Minister to rewrite the way projects are assessed. 

The Bill represents major concerns for climate, offshore environment and First Nations’ rights, with the proposed changes undermining the powers of the Environment Minister, the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and ongoing reforms to this Act. 

Liam Lilly, Fossil Fuels Program Coordinator at CCWA said “These changes, which were sought by the gas industry, help the fossil fuel industry bypass current legal requirements for consultation with ‘relevant persons’ and in particular requirements to consult First Nations peoples.” 

“Climate change impacts everyone, and all relevant persons should have the right to be consulted about projects which will drive dangerous contributions to climate change.” 

“Gas companies have been failing to comply with consultation requirements. As Woodside and other fossil fuel majors pursue massive new gas projects such as the Burrup Hub amidst accelerating climate change, we need to strengthen environmental laws, not weaken them.” 

ENDS

MEDIA INFORMATION: The Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) is the state’s foremost nonprofit, non-government conservation organisation representing nearly 100 environmental organisations across Western Australia. For more information, visit: ccwa.org.au.

CONTACT: For any enquiries relating to this release, please call 0412 272 570