Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's an honour to sum up the High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026. I firstly want to thank the members who contributed to this debate. We heard from the member for Tangney about the amazing intelligence of Dolphins, reminding us of all the marine life that lives in our oceans that this bill will protect. We heard the long history of how we've come to this point from the member for Warringah, and I thank her for her support. I also put on record that, to assist the House, the member for Makin and the member for Canberra were both intending to speak but have waived their rights so that we can get this important piece of work done.

As the parliament has heard, this bill seeks to facilitate Australia's ratification of the agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, also known as the high seas biodiversity treaty or the BBNJ Agreement. It was adopted by the United Nations on 19 June 2023 after nearly 20 years of negotiations, and Australia was one of the first nations to sign it on 20 September 2023.

This treaty creates stronger protections for our ocean. It establishes a regime to conserve and sustainably use marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction—that is, the high seas and seabed outside of our maritime borders. As a maritime nation, a healthy and resilient ocean is at the heart of our economy and the heart of our wellbeing. It's part of both our national identity and our national security. We acknowledge in this place that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have cared for sea country for more than 65,000 years.

Ratifying this treaty will bring real benefits to Australians. It will allow us to fully participate in international decision-making that affects Australians, their lives and their businesses. It will allow us to assist in leading the treaty's implementation in our region and allow us to work with others who seek to support the treaty. It will support both Australian businesses and our world-class research sector by creating a clear and level regulatory framework that puts everyone on an equal footing. It will complement our extensive domestic network of marine parks, which already protects some 52 per cent of our maritime jurisdiction and contributes significantly to the global target to protect 30 per cent of coastal and marine areas by 2030.

Around 60 per cent of the global ocean is beyond national jurisdiction, but currently only one per cent is protected. This treaty plays an important role in changing that and ensuring peace and stability in our region. It supports the rules based multilateral system, it enhances international ocean cooperation and it strengthens our regional bilateral relationships. The bill creates a regulatory regime to ensure Australian activities are undertaken consistent with this new treaty. This includes regulating the collection and use of marine genetic resources from areas beyond national jurisdiction and a framework for Australia to recognise area based management tools established by the treaty, such as marine protected areas.

Australia has engaged in the more than 20 years of discussion and negotiations for this treaty, and we are co-chairing the process to prepare for the first meeting of the conference of the parties. I commend this bill because it is necessary for Australia to (1) ratify the treaty and safeguard the health of our shared ocean, (2) support our thriving ocean economy for future generations and (3) maintain our hard-earned reputation as a global ocean leader. I thank all members for their contributions and I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.