NSW Government supports motion

to properly examine PEP-11 Bill

The NSW Government last Thursday 929 June) supported a motion from Independent MP for Sydney, Alex Greenwich MP, to refer the Minerals Legislation Amendment (Offshore Drilling and Associated Infrastructure Prohibition) Bill 2023 to the Standing Committee on Environment and Planning for scrutiny.

5 July 2023

THE Minerals Legislation Amendment (Offshore Drilling and Associated Infrastructure Prohibition) Bill 2023 relates to the application for offshore oil and gas exploration known as PEP-11.

The Bill may create legal risks for New South Wales and conflict with Commonwealth law, with unintended consequences.

Minister for the Central Coast David Harri said, “Central Coast Labor MPs have opposed the PEP-11 proposal at both a State and Federal Level and have campaigned to stop the exploration going ahead.

“We want to see this offshore mining process ended but the action of the former Coalition government demonstrated that intervention must be lawful and consistent with State and Federal laws.

“Unlike the Liberal-National Party, we won't jeopardise the process by playing politics with this issue.

“It is important we allow the proper process to play out because we have seen what happens when conservative governments have gotten involved and caused delay in this area.”

The NSW Government supports the actions of Independent MP Alex Greenwich to ensure there is full scrutiny of the Bill and to avoid possible further legal action relating to PEP-11.