Ban on mineral/petroleum exploration in marine parks

Production of and exploration for minerals and petroleum in marine parks and nature reserves will be banned under a policy announced today by Premier Carmen Lawrence.

Dr Lawrence said the ban would also apply in proposed marine parks and nature reserves endorsed by Cabinet.

Dr Lawrence was speaking to the 1992 Australian Petroleum Exploration Association conference, 'Striking the Balance'.

In November 1990 the Government issued its policy, 'Resolution of Conflict - a Clear Policy for National Parks', but this did not have specific guidelines for activities in marine parks, the Premier said.

The Government acknowledged the petroleum industry's concern about this and the effect on its confidence to continue work in areas such as the Carnarvon Basin.

It had now clarified the policy.

Features of the policy included:

·         establishment of a system of marine parks and nature reserves to 100 metres beneath the sea-bed to protect the best or most important examples of Western Australian marine environments;

·         maintenance of the rights of holders of mineral tenements and tenements granted under the Petroleum Act and the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act before Cabinet endorsement of any marine park or nature reserve;

·         possible approval of pipelines and other marine structures in marine parks or nature reserves if they met environmental requirements;

·         possible approval of directional drilling beneath the sea-bed of marine parks or nature reserves from outside their boundaries if environmental requirements were met.

Under the policy, the rights of holders of certain tenements granted in the Ningaloo marine park after the declaration of its park status would be maintained.

The tenements were granted when exploration was not banned and before the announcement of the policy that banned drilling in national parks.

Any exploration or development proposal would be subject to environmental assessment.

As part of the Government's policy to speed up approval processes, the EPA would work with the Ministerial Council on Mining and Conservation to revise and simplify its policy on assessment of petroleum proposals outside marine parks and reserves.

Dr Lawrence said striking the balance between development and environmental protection was exactly what the Government wanted.

Part of that meant creating the conditions under which the petroleum industry could expand and achieve its full potential.