Warrnambool councillors questioned over seismic testing stance

During public question time at last week's council meeting, James Dunbar put the seismic testing in the Otway Basin into the spotlight.

"Warrnambool City Council voted to support Fight for the Bight opposing high risk deep water drilling in the Great Australian Bight and Warrnambool City Council has also declared a climate emergency," he said.

"There is a current proposal by ConocoPhillips and two other companies to undertake seismic testing in the Otway Basin off our shores including the Bonney Upwelling."

Mr Dunbar said it would have a devastating impact on marine life and ocean ecosystems and also impact businesses, jobs and the economy of Warrnambool.

"Threatened and endangered species such as southern right whales and leatherback turtles will suffer along with a variety of other marine life," he said.

"The reputation of, and income from, tourism will be damaged as will the fishing industry both amateur and commercial leading to effects on other associated sectors business and individuals across the region."

Mr Dunbar asked if Warrnambool council would join neighbouring Surf Coast Shire and Colac Otway in opposing seismic testing in the Otway Basin.

The council's chief executive officer Andrew Mason said the matter had not yet been considered or discussed by the council.

"It's noted that seismic testing will occur in Commonwealth waters and as such local government will not have a statutory role in overseeing it," he said.

"We won't get a say in the actual approvals or refusal of the seismic testing.

"That being said, I will organise a briefing for councillors in the near future and we can have a more considered discussion."

ConocoPhillips Australia is planning to undertake exploration activities in Commonwealth waters and the proposed activities are a continuation of its exploration program in the offshore Otway Basin which aims to identify commercially viable natural gas reserves to help meet Australia's energy needs.

The proposal includes an exploration program that consists of seabed surveys and the drilling of up to six exploration wells.

Drilling commencement is dependent on regulatory approval and rig availability but initial activity would be seabed assessments which would start in January 2024 at the earliest.

Information sessions about the proposal have been held across the region in recent weeks, and Fight for the Bight spokesman Ben Druitt said almost 60 people turned up to last week's Port Fairy meeting.

A vote of attendees found 42 were against the proposal, one was for and nine were undecided, he said.

"Moyne Shire Council played a pivotal role in rejecting Norwegian company Equinor's plans to industrialise the Great Australian Bight, but now we have a new, frontier gas project on our front doorstop," Mr Duitt said.

As a climate emergency council, he said they were calling on Moyne shire to take a similar position "to the industrialisation of our own coast".

"Big Oil does not view their planned seismic and drilling activities for the region as 'frontier', but as an expansion of existing industry at Port Campbell.

"Any gas produced from the region will be piped along the sea floor from here back to Port Campbell for onshore processing. At the earliest, this will occur in 2030."

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