Senate debates

Wednesday, 8 February 2012

Questions without Notice

Christmas Island Salvage

2:20 pm

Photo of Rachel SiewertRachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, my question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Senator Carr, and refers to the wreck of the Tycoon at Christmas Island. On 8 January, high seas caused the Tycoon to break its moorings and smash into the cliffs next to the loading facility on Christmas Island. Since then, heavy bunker oil, diesel and phosphate have continued to leak into the ocean, potentially having long-term impacts on the marine environment, the island and seabirds in particular. The ship is now in three parts under the cliff. I therefore ask: has a salvor been identified for the ship? Will the ship, in fact, be salvaged or the intent to leave it there? Who is taking responsibility for ensuring salvage of the ship occurs and who is taking responsibility for stopping oil and phosphate leaking into the sea? What happens, in fact, if a salvor cannot be identified?

2:21 pm

Photo of Kim CarrKim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Materiel) Share this | | Hansard source

I thank Senator Siewert for her question. The foundering of the vessel, the Tycoon, is a matter of ongoing investigation and is, of course, a matter on which I cannot comment until that investigation is concluded. The salvage operations to remove the wreck have not yet commenced and are expected to take some time to resolve. I can say that the Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the causes of the incident and has issued a preliminary report. Of course, there are separate investigations being undertaken by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and the Australian Federal Police are undertaking investigations into whether or not offences have been committed. So in that context, it is difficult to actually report to the Senate on the outcomes of those investigations.

In terms of the government's approach to these questions, the minister has advised me that measures are being taken to protect and monitor the environment, restore the port to full operation and to deal with any other impacts that have arisen as a result of the founding of the vessel in terms of the effects on the community on Christmas Island.

2:22 pm

Photo of Rachel SiewertRachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a supplementary question. Perhaps I can reiterate the question. I have in fact read the preliminary report from the safety bureau so I do not need to be told about that in further response. What I would like to know is: why hasn't a salvor been identified? Is the government facilitating this? While that ship remains in place, oil and phosphate continue to leak into the marine environment. Is this ship going to be salvaged, and how is the government fast-tracking its salvage?

2:23 pm

Photo of Kim CarrKim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Materiel) Share this | | Hansard source

The intention of the government is to ensure that there are proper investigations into the event to prevent further occurrences of such events. Clean-up crews removed some 51 bulk bags of oil sand and other waste material from the beach in the days immediately after the incident. Assistance was also given by volunteers to ensure that the clean-up efforts were made in Flying Fish Cove. The advice that I have is that there are no observable signs of environ­mental impacts beyond the Flying Fish Cove area. That advice has been tendered by marine scientists who are monitoring any other impacts on corals and marine life in the region. So far bad weather has restricted diving and of course they have been unable to survey the eastern side of Flying Fish Cove. (Time expired)

2:24 pm

Photo of Rachel SiewertRachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, I have another supplementary question. It is interesting to note that the minister said that there is no 'observable' damage yet divers have not been able to enter the water. So how can he make that statement? How can the government therefore be sure that there is no impact on the marine environment if he has been unable to carry out that analysis? Secondly, is it not true that the oil removed from the beach has subsequently been replaced because of the ongoing leaking of oil and phosphate and that such waste has subsequently ended up back on Flying Fish Cove Beach?

2:25 pm

Photo of Kim CarrKim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Materiel) Share this | | Hansard source

I can advise the senator that, on the material I have before me, there is in fact a whole-of-government response to the incident underway—so all the different agencies of government—in terms of pollution response, wreck response, the maintenance of supplies to the island, and of course longer term environmental moni­toring and social and economic impacts being managed are being done in parallel.

There has been some bad weather and there are sections of the cove that have not been able to be closely inspected by diving. However, the report that I have says that there are no observable effects in terms of the impact on the rest of the cove itself.

A marine pollution response incident coordinator has been appointed by the safety authorities and, under the national plan arrangements, one has been on the island since 9 January 2012. Personnel from the Marine Safety Authority— (Time expired)