LAST week ConocoPhillips was on the island for their latest community consultation around their proposed gas drilling and exploration in the Otway basin, during which they encouraged any individual or organisation to contact them with concerns or questions as they prepare their Environmental Plan for submission to the regulator NOPSEMA.
TGS also conducted their first community meetings for their proposed Environmental Plan for seismic testing 39 kilometres off King Island.
This is the largest seismic testing area in Australia’s history.
Ali King and Annie Fort from the Surfriders Australia, Tasmanian Branch, were also on the island to continue their consultations with the community and shared their impressions regarding the overall consultation processes and community opinions.
“Overall, the community that we’ve heard from are not in support of this project in any way, shape or form,” Ms King said.
“There’s a lot of questions that remain outstanding and there’s a lot of concerns that have been confirmed throughout our meetings,” she said.
Ms Fort, a marine biologist, said the primary concern that has not yet been addressed nor has the community been given depth of detail, is around spill modelling and the modelling associated with gas leaks if they were to occur.
“A spill model is associated with a release of diesel from a vessel that would either be conducting the seabed survey or from the drill rig doing the drilling and exploration program.
“There have been models conducted and they are yet to be published and shared with the people on King Island.
“I very much look forward to hearing the community response to those models, because without a doubt, King Island will be very much impacted,” she told King Island Radio.
The Surf Riders Foundation held three meeting sessions and about three per cent of the population attended.
The foundation does not believe that reflects a dwindling lack of interest, but more that the proposal is confusing and overwhelming for the community.
“We’re not here to speak for them. We’re not here to form their opinion. With such a big proposal, with such big multinational companies, that are international, it’s confusing even [for] marine scientists who are involved in the industry.
“These consultations, processes, [and] framework, are really hard to understand. The impacts can be hard to understand. There are so many variables that happen with these projects,” Ms King said.
“Every time I come to King Island, I see how special this community is, and they’re overwhelmed.
“I think a lot of the issue is that the island feels powerless…it wears a community down over time. I think in this case, that’s potentially that’s what has happened.
“I have no doubt that that they care, and that’s where we come in. We are here to support. We’re here to inform. We’re here to present pathways and to provide information so that people know the right questions to ask, [to] get better information, so that they can form better opinions and they can work with that and stick up for their island.”
“It’s definitely, unfortunately, a David and Goliath situation here, but that is not enough of a reason not to stand up,” Ms Ford said.
“We have had so many successes around Australia… we can absolutely take this on, and we can absolutely win.
“But we need to have voices involved. This involves registering as a relevant person with ConocoPhillips.” she said.
“We can absolutely help you. CC us in in your email as we have various pathways forward. We can engage your local council, your local state member, your local federal member and at all levels of government.
“We can have real outcomes. We are going to be taking this specific area national and we’re going to take it to the next election.
“We’re going to take this from a local King Island issue, and we’ve already joined alliances with Victoria, New South Wales and in South Australia,” Ms Ford said.
She said the local issues of King Island will be moved to the national stage with the aim of banning all new offshore oil and gas exploitation around Australian waters.
Ms King disagreed with statements made by ConocoPhillips and others that the country will run out of gas by 2027 and that Australia is not in a state yet where we can cease oil and gas exploration and drilling.
“I disagree with that argument wholeheartedly. There is plenty of evidence out there showing that we have sufficient amounts of gas, particularly for Australian use for Australian households.
“There is so much technology going into renewables. There’s so much research going into renewables. Gas is dying. Companies such as ConocoPhillips, have invested so much money into extracting fossil fuels from our environment that they are trying to make as much money as they can before gas dies out, “Ms King said.
Ms Ford did concede that she has observed ConocoPhillips listening to the community and taking into account community concerns and implementing them into their processes.
“However, I have not seen them address bigger picture problems. They are still prepared to move forward with, ‘acceptable level of risk.’
“Within the King Island community there is no acceptable level of risk.
“This is a very vulnerable community. The tourism industry, the kelp industry, the fishing industry. None of them can afford a risk of spill blowout. And at the end of the day, we’re in a climate emergency. This is an ancient technology that we need to be transitioning away from rapidly.”
Both advocates said that multiple pathways need to be used to be heard by ConocoPhillips NOPSEMA [the regulator] and by governments.
“We are working with a multitude of groups who have particular expertise within each pathway. As a community, every person’s expertise, opinions and concerns are going to be different, and that’s why we encourage people to get in touch with us, so we can help them.
The Surfrider Foundation staff will be next in Victoria for another consultation and are in the Environmental Plan phase for another nearby King Island seismic project.
The TGS in partnership with Schlumberger seismic survey is one of the largest in Australia’s history, 39kms west of King Island, involves 7.7 million hectares in Bass Strait.
The Environmental Plan for TGS is currently open for comment.
Surfrider Australia and Surfrider Tasmania can be found on Facebook and social media or email Tasmania@surfrider.org.au.