Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today, in the Australian Senate, I'd like to give a massive shout-out to the more than one thousand Victorians who turned up on Saturday afternoon for a protest paddle-out against the Albanese government's attempt to open up 25,000 square kilometres of new ocean acreage off the Otway Coast in order to explore for more oil and gas during a time of climate emergency. I'd like to give a special shout-out to the organisers of this event and all the volunteers, especially to Drew McPherson and Damien Cole from Surfrider Foundation—absolutely brilliant job.

While Victorians and Australians, over summer, were being asked to provide submissions to this process, the Otway Coast saw record rainfalls and flash flooding in places, like at Wye River, where tens of thousands of homes were without power for weeks. It was utter devastation for those Australians that were trying to enjoy their summer holiday. At the same time, we had catastrophic bushfires burning on the same coast and also shutting down the Great Ocean Road. Yet, off this coastline, the Labor government wants to explore for more of the exact same product that, when we burn it, warms our oceans and changes our weather.

Well, I'd say to you, today, in the Australian Senate, thank you to all the Victorians who turned up. The next paddle-out will be even bigger. The surfing community, ocean lovers and people who care about climate change and climate action have stopped these offshore oil and gas projects from proceeding before—from PEP-11 in New South Wales, across to Western Australia, to the Great Australian Bight and off this exact coast before—and we will continue campaigning until we transition this country to a hundred per cent renewable energy and stop this crazy attempt to explore for new fossil fuels that is damaging our oceans.