The Great Australian Bight Alliance strongly rejects Nationals Leader Matt Canavan's recent Courier Mail opinion piece blaming "green ideology" for Australia's fuel crisis - a crisis fuelled by corporate fossil fuel influence over policy that has blocked the uptake of electric transport and entrenched reliance on dwindling, climate-wrecking oil.
A rapid shift to electric vehicles and reduced dependence on these volatile fossil fuels would secure our energy security - something backed by the fact that over 80% of South Australians oppose risky Bight oil drilling in favour of Nullarbor and Bight World Heritage protection.
Josh Kirkman, CEO of Surfers for Climate, said: "The Great Australian Bight is home to 85% unique marine life and world-class waves. Locking it in as World Heritage is the final stand against big oil's destruction, honouring South Australians' overwhelming support for protection over risky drilling, as well as the clear bipartisan support from the South Australian Liberals and Labor on this issue."
The campaign for UNESCO World Heritage Protection for the Nullarbor and the Great Australian Bight reflects bipartisan South Australian policy: the Labor government pledged World Heritage status for the Bight at the last election and reaffirmed it since, with the state Liberals also backing World Heritage protection ahead of the South Australian election.
South Australian Senator Andrew McLachlan, Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of World Heritage Protection for the Nullarbor and the Great Australian Bight, said: "The Great Australian Bight is an inheritance all South Australians value and want to protect for future generations. The incredible biodiversity must never be put at risk. Nor should the communities that live and work in the coasts have their futures gambled away simply to fuel corporate greed. Once again we South Australians have been delivered a stark reminder that those that seek to exploit our wildness must be stopped. We need World Heritage listing for the Bight urgently."
Mr Canavan and his Nationals hold no seats in South Australia's state parliament or seats representing the state in the federal parliament, rendering his pretence of speaking on behalf of locals absurd and clearly misinformation.
Alistair Allan, Marine Campaigner at Bob Brown Foundation, said: "Proposals like this from the Nationals show just how reckless they are. Not only do they want to risk one of Australia's great wild places, they are still completely wedded to climate wrecking fossil fuels. No one wants to see oil rigs in the world heritage value Bight."
The Great Australian Bight Alliance urges leaders to honour South Australians' overwhelming call: safeguard this global treasure as World Heritage, prioritising ocean health, fisheries and coastal communities over hazardous and unnecessary oil drilling.
