Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The government has received an application under sections 9 and 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act to protect an area near James Price Point. The act requires that a report be commissioned in response to the section 10 application. The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities is currently consulting interested parties on Minister Burke's behalf as part of the section 9 process. As the applications are the subject of a legal decision-making process, it would be inappropriate to comment further.

Minister Burke has advised that Woodside has resumed geotechnical investigations, including near-shore drilling, after a break over the wet season. Minister Burke has received advice from the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities that these activities are unlikely to have a significant impact upon listed matters. Minister Burke has advised that departmental compliance officers inspected the onshore and near-shore activities on 6 and 7 June and that no matters of concern— (Time expired)