Tuesday, 17 June 2025

Corio Bay gas import terminal

Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (18:12): (1700) My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Planning, and the action I seek is for her to urgently reconsider the approval granted to Viva Energy’s floating gas terminal in Corio Bay, a project that directly contradicts Victoria’s climate commitments and is expressly against the will of the local community.

The Corio Bay Viva gas terminal, recently approved by the Allan Labor government, would import up to 160 petajoules of liquefied natural gas annually. While the government claims this project is essential to address anticipated gas shortages, it undermines our state’s Gas Substitution Roadmap and its emissions target of net zero by 2045. The environmental implications of this project are severe. The project will require dredging in Corio Bay to accommodate LNG tankers, posing significant risks to local marine life, including the critically endangered Burrunan dolphin.

Community opposition has been overwhelming. Since 2022 local residents, environment groups and the Greens have campaigned against this project, but the government has shown complete contempt for the community. Not only have they failed to listen, they made the announcement behind closed doors at an industry gala – for shame. Let us not forget that Australia exports over 80 per cent of its gas, so absurdly, importing LNG could result in Victorians buying back our own gas at higher prices.

This decision, coupled with the appalling federal approval of Woodside’s North West Shelf project, is another signal of a troubling trend of Labor making deliberate choices to prioritise the interests of fossil fuel companies over our climate future, our environmental responsibility and the community. Minister, I urge you to revoke the environmental approval for the Viva Energy gas terminal. Instead, focus on accelerating the transition to renewable energy and supporting communities to get off gas. Our climate, our environment and our future generations depend on decisive climate action now.