Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

As I indicated to Senator Waters in response to her question earlier this week, this does largely seem to be a matter for the Northern Territory's EPA regulator. What we know about the situation in Darwin is that this tank is currently not in operation. It was subject to an engineering investigation in 2020 when approval was sought from Northern Territory WorkSafe to extend the life of the Darwin LNG facility. The appropriate regulatory approvals are in place. Importantly, it has an approved safety case. The methane emissions that you've referred to are reported under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme, and there is a monitoring program in place.

The licence to recommence operations of the tank is up for renewal on 18 September, and, as I've been advised, works are being done to refurbish the tank for future use. The DLNG plant is located onshore in the Northern Territory. As such, operation of the tank is a matter for the NT government. We will continue to urge Santos to work with the Northern Territory regulator to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the tank. NOPSEMA, the regulator that Minister King is in charge of, has no jurisdiction to regulate the DLNG facility. And, of course, what's important here—

I understand that the Greens political party comes to this with a set of preconceived views about gas altogether, but it's important, when you're exercising your authority as a minister, to do it with precision and in relation to the powers that you actually have. Otherwise, you end up in the territory that poor old Mr Morrison ended up in during the last government—pretending to be various ministers of state and not telling anybody. It's important to do it precisely and it's important to do it within your powers. That's what the minister has done here. That's consistent with the way that NOPSEMA has conducted its activity here. There are legislative frameworks in place to administer and regulate all of this work. On that basis, I move:

That the question be now put.