June 14, 2018: Plans to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight have beens struck another blow with yet another council moving to declare against oil exploration in the region.Last night Port Adelaide council successfully moved a motion to oppose any drilling in the Bight, currently proposed by Norwegian oil giant Equinor, which poses a grave threat to local industries such as tourism and fishing.
“This is the ninth coastal council to vote to oppose oil drilling and the third in the last month,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific Senior Campaigner, Nathaniel Pelle, said.
“They will not be the last. First Nations leaders, fishermen, and tourism operators have all sent Equinor the message that their oil rigs are not welcome and they will never gain a social license to drill.
“This high-risk pipe dream of frontier oil drilling in the Bight must be abandoned and permanent protection established for the unique marine life in the region.”
The move was welcomed by local fishing industry representative and Port Adelaide resident Kyri Toumazos.
“The local fishing industry has been making its concerns with oil exploration in the Bight known for many years,” Toumazos said.
“The fishing industry can last forever but that is threatened by the risky frontier oil drilling and seismic testing that is being proposed.
“The stakes for the communities and industries that rely on this unparalleled ocean environment are far too high to wager.”
For interviews contact:
Simon Black
Greenpeace Australia Pacific Senior Media Campaigner
0418 219 086 / [email protected]