Surfpolitik Oil industry out of their depth at Margaret River

In: Surfpolitik by Stu Nettle 6 Comments Fri 1st Jun '12

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Adrian Meder works for the Conservation Council of Western Australia and is a member of the Margaret River branch of the Surfrider Foundation. Recently he's been orchestrating a campaign to cast light on the Federal Governments plans to allow oil exploration, and potentially, oil drilling, offshore from the Margaret River region. If you are concerned by such a development please read Adrian's article below and follow it up with the appropriate action. 

Two years have passed since the Mentelle Basin, a large area directly off the coast of Margaret River, was opened up for oil exploration. It is finally time to decide whether we allow oil exploration and development to occur, or whether we protect this area from the risks that such development would bring.

Over the next couple of weeks Federal Environment minister Tony Burke will lock in his marine park plans for the South-west of Australia, and we have the very real opportunity to demonstrate there is somewhere in Australia not up for grabs to the oil industry.

Australia already has vast oil and gas resources developed, and we export billions of dollars worth of fossil fuels to overseas customers each year. To an extent the surf industry depends on these fuels and their by-products, yet it is clear that Australia's 'energy security' is not threatened by a lack of resources and a need to exploit every oil and gas deposit we can find. If it were we would set more aside for local consumption.

The Mentelle Basin lies in some of Australia's wildest waters about 85km off Margaret River, famed for its consistent solid swells and relatively untouched coastline. Combined with the extreme depth of the area (up to twice the depth of the Gulf of Mexico's infamous Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster, which itself was one of the deepest drilling efforts on record), to drill this region would be at the very frontier our technology, and at depths that have proven to be disastrous before.

While this saga has been going on for two years, now is the final opportunity for surfers to make a difference. We know Tony Burke is currently considering whether he has sufficient political capital to enable him to tell industry that this place is too special and too risky for oil development. The solution is available to him is to protect the entire Mentelle Basin in a marine sanctuary, so that the area is off limits to exploitation forever.

At the recent WQS Prime event in Margaret River, past winners including world champ Tom Carroll and local legends Dave Macaulay and Paterson brothers Jake and Paul, took a stand. All of these guys have their own stories as to why this region is so special and deserves protection, but to carry real political weight the voices of the wider surfing community need to be heard now.

Let the government know your story: why Margaret River is important to you, why it should be protected, and what industrialisation and an oil spill in Margaret River would mean. Send it here and we'll deliver it to the decision makers, including Environment Minister Tony Burke, Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson, and key Western Australian MPs.

(Photos: Russell Ord and Rob Alder)

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