This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.
Climate, energy & environment
Oil and gas exploration off the New South Wales coast from Newcastle to Manly would be shut down by cancelling PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. and banning any future petroleum activity in that area.
A 2023 deal to set aside PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work.’s cancellation after the former Prime Minister’s intervention restarted the approval process and left coastal communities facing renewed uncertainty. The bill cancels PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. two months after the relevant section starts and stops ministers and officials from considering pending applications or granting any future petroleum approvals in that area.
PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. had covered 4,575 square kilometres of Commonwealth watersFederal offshore waters beyond state control; PEP11 covered a large area of these waters off the New South Wales coast. off the New South Wales coast, and although the permit expired in February 2021 and its extension was cancelled in December 2022, that cancellation was set aside in February 2023 after the former Prime Minister’s intervention reopened the decision process. With PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. back in play and pending applications again before the Joint AuthorityThe federal and state decision-maker that handles offshore titles in New South Wales; on PEP11 it includes the responsible NSW minister and the Commonwealth minister., the 2024 bill sought to cancel the permit after two months and permanently block new offshore petroleum approvals in the area, but it was later removed from the Notice PaperThe daily list of business in the House; the page says the bill was later removed from it, which meant it did not proceed. without passing.
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, and publicly available sources does not identify a developed argument that cancelling PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. or banning future activity in the area would cause specific harms. The recorded debate excerpts instead focus on environmental concerns about offshore exploration, with no party represented in those excerpts putting a substantive case against the bill.
Zali Steggall MP introduced this bill.
Did it become law?
No
The bill did not complete passage through Parliament.
Final passage
No final passage
The bill has not completed passage and is no longer proceeding.
Time before failure
197 days
From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding
Meaning
Oil and gas exploration off the New South Wales coast from Newcastle to Manly would be shut down by cancelling PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. and banning any future petroleum activity in that area.
PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. would automatically end two months after the bill starts, instead of remaining available for future offshore oil and gas work.
The New South Wales and Commonwealth ministers who decide offshore titles would have to stop dealing with any undecided PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. applications already on foot.
No new petroleum permits, leases, licences or related approvals could be granted anywhere that has been covered by PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work., blocking future oil and gas projects there.
The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Stop PEP11 Forever and Protect Our Coastal Waters) Bill 2024 (the Bill) proposes changes to the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (Cth) (OPGGS Act) that would cancel Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 (PEP11) and prohibit any further petroleum exploration or exploitation in the PEP11 area. The amendments will ensure that the climate, local economy and biodiversity in the area in and adjacent to PEP11 are protected in the public interest.Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Stop PEP11 Forever and Protect Our Coastal Waters) explanatory memorandum
Subsection (1) provides that PEP11 ceases to be in force 2 months after this section commences.Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Stop PEP11 Forever and Protect Our Coastal Waters) explanatory memorandum
Subsections (2), (3) and (4) prevent the Joint Authority from inviting, considering or continuing to consider a PEP11 application that had not been determined as at the date of commencement of the provision.Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Stop PEP11 Forever and Protect Our Coastal Waters) explanatory memorandum
Subsection (5)(a) prohibits the Joint Authority and Titles Administrator from granting any of the permits, consents, authorities, leases and licences provided for by Ch 2 of the OPGGS Act, in any part of the area that has been subject to PEP11 (including when PEP11 was in force by virtue of the now-repealed Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1967 (Cth).Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Stop PEP11 Forever and Protect Our Coastal Waters) explanatory memorandum
Context
PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. had covered 4,575 square kilometres of Commonwealth watersFederal offshore waters beyond state control; PEP11 covered a large area of these waters off the New South Wales coast. off the New South Wales coast, and although the permit expired in February 2021 and its extension was cancelled in December 2022, that cancellation was set aside in February 2023 after the former Prime Minister’s intervention reopened the decision process. With PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. back in play and pending applications again before the Joint AuthorityThe federal and state decision-maker that handles offshore titles in New South Wales; on PEP11 it includes the responsible NSW minister and the Commonwealth minister., the 2024 bill sought to cancel the permit after two months and permanently block new offshore petroleum approvals in the area, but it was later removed from the Notice PaperThe daily list of business in the House; the page says the bill was later removed from it, which meant it did not proceed. without passing.
PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. permit expires off the New South Wales coast
The offshore petroleum exploration permitA legal title that allows offshore oil and gas exploration; the bill would stop new permits of this kind in the PEP11 area. lapsed, but the title still remained the subject of later applications to suspend conditions and extend it.
Explanatory memorandum ↗Joint AuthorityThe federal and state decision-maker that handles offshore titles in New South Wales; on PEP11 it includes the responsible NSW minister and the Commonwealth minister. cancels the PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. extension
The Joint AuthorityThe federal and state decision-maker that handles offshore titles in New South Wales; on PEP11 it includes the responsible NSW minister and the Commonwealth minister. cancelled the extension, appearing to bring the long-running offshore oil and gas proposal to an end.
Explanatory memorandum ↗Former Prime Minister intervention leads to PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. cancellation being set aside
The government and the project proponents agreed to set aside the cancellation decision, restarting the Joint AuthorityThe federal and state decision-maker that handles offshore titles in New South Wales; on PEP11 it includes the responsible NSW minister and the Commonwealth minister.’s consideration of applications tied to PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work..
Explanatory memorandum ↗New South Wales moves to ban offshore oil and gas exploration in state waters
Speakers backing the federal bill said the New South Wales government had introduced its own legislation because PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. straddled a wider coastal debate but still depended on Commonwealth decisions beyond state waters.
Hansard second reading speech ↗Federal bill is introduced to end PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. and block future approvals
The private member’s bill was introduced to make PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. cease two months after the relevant section starts and stop ministers and officials from dealing with pending or future petroleum approvals in the same area.
Parliamentary timeline and explanatory memorandum ↗Bill is removed from the Notice PaperThe daily list of business in the House; the page says the bill was later removed from it, which meant it did not proceed.
The bill was dropped from the House Notice PaperThe daily list of business in the House; the page says the bill was later removed from it, which meant it did not proceed. under standing ordersThe parliamentary rules that can control how business is handled; the page says the bill was dropped from the House Notice Paper under these rules., leaving the proposed statutory end to PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. unpassed.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, and publicly available sources does not identify a developed argument that cancelling PEP11The offshore exploration title at the centre of the bill; it covers the area off the New South Wales coast that the bill would shut down for future oil and gas work. or banning future activity in the area would cause specific harms. The recorded debate excerpts instead focus on environmental concerns about offshore exploration, with no party represented in those excerpts putting a substantive case against the bill.
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far.
Votes
No recorded votes were found before this bill stopped proceeding.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Zali Steggall speaks to the bill, focusing on we know that seismic blastingA surveying method that uses powerful sound waves to look for oil and gas; the speeches on the page say it can harm whales, dolphins and other marine life. harms marine wildlife, like the hearing of whales and dolphin, which they rely on in their sense to communicate, to find food and to navigate.
Read in Hansard ↗Sophie Scamps speaks to the bill, focusing on this project is opposed by MPs of all electorates that will be impacted, from Manly to Newcastle, including the Labor member for Newcastle and the Labor member for Robertson on the Central Coast.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
2 speakers · 2 unclear
“We know that seismic blasting harms marine wildlife, like the hearing of whales and dolphin, which they rely on in their sense to communicate, to find food and to navigate.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This project is opposed by MPs of all electorates that will be impacted, from Manly to Newcastle, including the Labor member for Newcastle and the Labor member for Robertson on the Central Coast.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Removed from the Notice Paper in accordance with (SO 42)
Removed from the Notice PaperThe daily list of business in the House; the page says the bill was later removed from it, which meant it did not proceed. in accordance with (SO 42)
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
