A group of ocean lovers are calling on the Warrnambool City Council to become the latest Victorian council to ban deep sea oil drilling off its shores.
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After the Moyne Shire Council became the first Victorian council to pass a motion concerning plans to industrialise the Great Australian Bight, campaigners are now turning their attention to Warrnambool.
‘Paddle out for the Bight’ will see surfers, environmentalists, students, swimmers, fishermen, divers and beach-lovers of all ages converge on the Breakwater to host a peaceful demonstration.
Event organiser Ben Druitt said it was time for residents of Warrnambool and its surrounds to make a stand.
“We are calling for Warrnambool City Council to pass a motion opposing Equinors plans and become the 16th council nationally to do so,” he said.
“Equinor, two thirds owned by Norway’s US$1 trillion sovereign wealth fund, plans to drill four exploration wells in the deep and remote waters in the middle of The Great Australian Bight starting from next year,” he said.
“If there is an uncontrolled blowout in the middle of the Great Australian Bight modelling shows that most of Australia's southern coastline could be impacted and in worst case reach as far as New Zealand.”
Mr Druitt said oil company representatives were on record saying ‘if we are not wanted here, we will not push through resistance’.
This has spurred the keen surfer to call for more voices to join his campaign.
“On one hand there is significant environmental and economic risk to one entire side of Australia and on the other there is the potential reward of unlocking another huge reserve of fossil fuels so that humans can burn it. Both hands look like bad ones.
“We hope to get many hundreds of people to the paddle out on Sunday March 3rd to send a strong message to Warrnambool City Council,” he said.
“If you can’t paddle out please come with your friends and family to stand on the breakwater and help make this community action one to remember. Every voice counts.”
Paddle for the Bight will be held at the Breakwater, Sunday March 3, from 12 noon.