This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.
Government & democracy
The bill would stop new special prospecting authorityA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. applications, invitations, grants and renewals after 31 December 2024, aiming to reduce offshore seismic testingA survey method that sends loud sound waves through the seabed to map what is below the ocean floor. and protect marine life.
Special Prospecting Authorities let oil and gas companies conduct seismic testingA survey method that sends loud sound waves through the seabed to map what is below the ocean floor. in marine habitats, and growing evidence says that testing harms marine life. The bill responds by stopping new SPAA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. applications from being considered and banning new or renewed SPAsA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. after 31 December 2024.
Special Prospecting Authorities already let offshore oil and gas companies carry out seismic testingA survey method that sends loud sound waves through the seabed to map what is below the ocean floor. across large ocean areas, but mounting evidence of harm to scallops, rock lobsters, krill and other marine life, along with the 2022 Senate inquiryA parliamentary investigation that heard evidence and made recommendations; here it is used as support for a pause on ocean seismic blasting.'s call for a moratoriumA temporary stop on a practice; in this page it means a pause on seismic blasting while impacts are considered. and disputes over Otway BasinThe offshore area off Victoria where several contested seismic testing proposals were being discussed. blasting proposals, increased pressure to shut that pathway down. The bill responded by proposing to stop any new or renewed SPAsA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. after 31 December 2024, but it lapsed at the dissolution of ParliamentThe point when Parliament ends before an election, which caused this bill to lapse before it could pass. on 28 March 2025, so the proposed ban did not take effect.
No significant public case against this bill is recorded so far, and the debate provided here does not show any party represented in the House arguing that the ban itself would cause harm. The only clear concerns raised were aimed at the existing special prospecting authorityA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. system, with the speakers in this debate backing tighter limits rather than opposing the bill.
Monique Ryan MP introduced this bill. Speeches supporting it came from Liberal Party, some crossbench members.
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
130 days
From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding
Meaning
The bill would stop new special prospecting authorityA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. applications, invitations, grants and renewals after 31 December 2024, aiming to reduce offshore seismic testingA survey method that sends loud sound waves through the seabed to map what is below the ocean floor. and protect marine life.
Australia would ban new special prospecting authorities for offshore oil and gas exploration after 31 December 2024.
Oil and gas companies that apply after 31 December 2024 would not have their applications for these ocean seismic testingA survey method that sends loud sound waves through the seabed to map what is below the ocean floor. permits considered.
Oil and gas companies with an existing special prospecting authorityA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. would not be able to renew it after 31 December 2024.
The purpose of this Bill is to stop seismic testing pursuant to SPAs and protect marine life.Abolition of Special Prospecting Authorities (Ocean Protection) explanatory memorandum
This Bill operates to prohibit the granting of special prospecting authorities after 31 December 2024.Abolition of Special Prospecting Authorities (Ocean Protection) explanatory memorandum
consider, or continue to consider, an application for a petroleum special prospecting authority made after 31 December 2024;Abolition of Special Prospecting Authorities (Ocean Protection) explanatory memorandum
renew a petroleum special prospecting authority after 31 December 2024.Abolition of Special Prospecting Authorities (Ocean Protection) explanatory memorandum
Context
Special Prospecting Authorities already let offshore oil and gas companies carry out seismic testingA survey method that sends loud sound waves through the seabed to map what is below the ocean floor. across large ocean areas, but mounting evidence of harm to scallops, rock lobsters, krill and other marine life, along with the 2022 Senate inquiryA parliamentary investigation that heard evidence and made recommendations; here it is used as support for a pause on ocean seismic blasting.'s call for a moratoriumA temporary stop on a practice; in this page it means a pause on seismic blasting while impacts are considered. and disputes over Otway BasinThe offshore area off Victoria where several contested seismic testing proposals were being discussed. blasting proposals, increased pressure to shut that pathway down. The bill responded by proposing to stop any new or renewed SPAsA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. after 31 December 2024, but it lapsed at the dissolution of ParliamentThe point when Parliament ends before an election, which caused this bill to lapse before it could pass. on 28 March 2025, so the proposed ban did not take effect.
Senate inquiryA parliamentary investigation that heard evidence and made recommendations; here it is used as support for a pause on ocean seismic blasting. calls for a moratoriumA temporary stop on a practice; in this page it means a pause on seismic blasting while impacts are considered. on ocean seismic blastingA survey method that sends loud sound waves through the seabed to map what is below the ocean floor.
The 2022 Making Waves Senate inquiryA parliamentary investigation that heard evidence and made recommendations; here it is used as support for a pause on ocean seismic blasting. report was cited in Parliament as recommending a moratoriumA temporary stop on a practice; in this page it means a pause on seismic blasting while impacts are considered., giving the push for SPAA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. reform a formal policy anchor.
Second reading speech ↗Otway BasinThe offshore area off Victoria where several contested seismic testing proposals were being discussed. seismic blastingA survey method that sends loud sound waves through the seabed to map what is below the ocean floor. proposals draw mass objections
The second reading debate said a TGSA company involved in one of the Otway Basin seismic survey proposals discussed in the speech./SLBA company name linked to the Otway Basin proposal that drew many objections. Otway BasinThe offshore area off Victoria where several contested seismic testing proposals were being discussed. proposal had drawn more than 30,000 complaints before being cancelled, while a new CGGA company seeking a new SPA permit for seismic blasting near Warrnambool. SPAA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. proposal off Warrnambool was still being sought in whale and sea lion habitat.
Second reading speech ↗Bill introduced to end new and renewed SPAsA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits.
The bill was introduced to stop seismic testingA survey method that sends loud sound waves through the seabed to map what is below the ocean floor. under SPAsA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. by prohibiting any new grants or renewals after 31 December 2024.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Bill lapses at dissolution
The bill lapsed when Parliament was dissolved, leaving the proposed cutoff on new and renewed SPAsA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. unlegislated.
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 this bill is recorded so far, and the debate provided here does not show any party represented in the House arguing that the ban itself would cause harm. The only clear concerns raised were aimed at the existing special prospecting authorityA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. system, with the speakers in this debate backing tighter limits rather than opposing 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
Ryan supports the bill and urges the House to abolish special prospecting authorityA permit that lets an oil and gas company do seismic testing over a large ocean area to look for offshore fuel deposits. permits because she says they enable unchecked seismic blastingA survey method that sends loud sound waves through the seabed to map what is below the ocean floor. that harms marine life, coastal communities and fishing industries.
Read in Hansard ↗Archer supports the bill and wants special prospecting authorities and seismic blastingA survey method that sends loud sound waves through the seabed to map what is below the ocean floor. in the oceans reformed or paused because she says they are harming marine life and bypassing proper assessment.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
1 speaker · 1 support
“A moratorium on seismic blasting in our oceans, in keeping with the recommendation of the 2022 Making waves Senate inquiry report, is needed, and urgent action should be undertaken to reform this system to remove the 15-year commercial-in-confidence clause and make all seismic data available to be reprocessed and available on the Geoscience Australia site, removing the need for more seismic blasting exploration projects in our oceans. It is time to press pause and take another look. I commend the bill to the House.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 1 support
“The people of Australia want no new fossil fuel projects off our beautiful coastlines. We implore the government to accept this bill to abolish Special Prospecting Authority permits. It would be an important step towards protecting our marine life, our coastal communities, our fishing industries and the health of our oceans. I commend it to the House.”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 · Lapsed at dissolution
Lapsed at dissolution
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
