Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

For my communities on the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast, the ocean is part of everyday life. From surfers to fishers, from local cafes to tourism operators, the ocean shapes our economy and our identity. As a Surf Coast local for more than 30 years, I know just how deeply our communities care about our oceans and the need to protect them. They want to see marine life thrive. They want to ensure future generations can enjoy our coastlines, and they expect us, as their representatives, to get the balance right. For coastal communities, this is real. It is local and it matters. That's why the High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026 is so important and much needed.

This legislation gives effect to Australia's obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This bill allows Australia to implement and ratify that global agreement, and, importantly, it will help protect biodiversity on the high seas. To clarify, the term 'the high seas' relates to ocean that lies beyond the national waters of any country. They are not under the direct control of any single nation, and they make up the majority of the world's oceans. They cover roughly two-thirds of all oceans across the globe and around half of the planet's surface. Because they sit beyond national borders, they have historically been difficult to manage. No single country is responsible for protecting them, and yet the health of these waters affects everyone.

We know the ocean is one connected ecosystem. Ocean currents move nutrients, fish and pollution across the globe. The health of marine ecosystems far from our coastline can influence our fisheries, our weather patterns and our biodiversity close to home. This treaty is not about just us. It is about global protection of a global asset: our oceans. As the world gets smaller, the need for stronger protection grows. That's why protecting biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction is not simply a theoretical international issue. It is central to the long-term health of the global ocean, and it is firmly in Australia's national interest.

The agreement ratified by this bill is built around four key pillars. The first concerns marine genetic resources. Marine organisms often contain unique genetic material that can be valuable for research, medicine and biotechnology. The treaty establishes rules around how these resources are collected and used and how the benefits arising from them are shared fairly. The second pillar relates to area based management tools, including the establishment of marine protected areas on the high seas. These tools will allow countries to work together to protect important ecosystems beyond national jurisdiction. The third pillar focuses on environmental impact assessments. Before activities that could harm the marine environment take place, their impacts must be properly assessed. This ensures that development and research activities are carried out responsibly. The fourth pillar deals with capacity building and technology transfer. Many countries do not yet have the resources or capability to monitor and protect marine biodiversity effectively. The treaty creates mechanisms for sharing knowledge, technology and expertise. Together, these pillars form the first comprehensive international system for protecting biodiversity on the high seas.

This bill is about responsibility: responsibility for our environment, responsibility for our communities and responsibility for future generations. The ocean connects us all, and protecting it is a shared task. In my electorate, people understand what is at stake. They see the ocean every day, they rely on it and they can expect us to act. This bill meets that expectation. It strengthens Australia's leadership, it protects our national interest and it contributes to a global effort to safeguard the health of our oceans. If we want our communities to continue to thrive, if we want our environment to be protected and if we want future generations to enjoy what we all enjoy today, then we must act. This bill is part of that action. I commend the bill to the House.

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