Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Hansard source

Australia needs new petroleum developments to ensure energy security, bring down prices and support Australian jobs. Offshore exploration for oil and gas has been undertaken safely for decades. The Australian government has recognised that the GAB and its environs, along with all of our offshore areas, deserve protection through appropriate regulation by a world-class regulator in NOPSEMA. A successful development in the bight would employ 1,361 workers in South Australia during construction and support nearly 700 jobs when operating, vital for a state struggling to attract new jobs. A poll by the antidevelopment and anti-fossil-fuel Australia Institute is not a true indication of public views on oil and gas exploration.