COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
SPEECH BY
The Rt Hon. J. G. GORTON, M. P.
ON
GREAT BARRIER REEF
INQUJIRY INTO DRILLING FOR PETROLEUM
( Ministerial Statement)
[ From the ' Parliamentary Debates', 5 May 1970]
Mr GORTON ( Higgins-Prime Minister)
-by leave-I am pleased to announce that
the Premier of Queensland and I have
agreed on the details of establishing Commonwealth
and State royal commissions to
inquire into the risk of damage to the Great
Barrier Reef from drilling for petroleum.
The royal commissions have been established
under the Commonwealth's Royal
Commissions Act 1902-1966 and the
Queensland Commissions of Inquiry Acts
1950 to 1954. The Commissioners and the
terms of reference will be identical for each
royal commission. The Commissioners are:
The Honourable Sir Gordon Wallace,
Sydney, New South Wales, Chairman; Dr
James Eric Smith, Plymouth, England; and
Mr Vincent John Moroney, Calgary,
Canada. The terms of reference for the
royal commissions are:
Taking into account existing world
technology in relation to drilling for
petroleum and safety precautions
relating thereto, what risk is there of
an oil or gas leak in exploratory and
production drilling for petroleum in
the area of the Great Barrier Reef?
What would be the probable effects
of such an oil or gas leak and of the
subsequent remedial measures on-
The coral reefs themselves;
The coastline;
The ecological and biological
aspects of life in the area?
15682/ 70 Are there localities within the area
of the Great Barrier Reef and, if so,
what are their geographical limits,
wherein the eff ects of an oil or gas
leak would cause so little detriment
that drilling there for petroleum
might be permitted?
If exploration or drilling for petroleum
in any locality within the area
of the Great Barrier Reef is permitted,
are existing safety precautions
already prescribed or otherwise
laid down for that locality regarded
as adequate and, if not, what
conditions should be imposed before
such exploration or drilling could
take place?
What are the probable benefits
accruing to the State of Queensland
and other parts of the Commonwealth
from exploration or drilling
for petroleum in the area of the
Great Barrier Reef and the extent of
those benefits?
The area of the Great Barrier Reef referred
to in the above terms of reference includes
the entire area from low watermark on the
mainland of Queensland to the outer line
of the Reef and includes also the area outside
and adjacent to the outer line of reefs.
These agreed terms of reference incorporate
some improvements and changes of
a drafting nature from the agreed terms
announced on 29th January following the
conference on that date between the Premier
and myself.
The Premier and I are pleased that 3
persons of such eminence have agreed to be
the Commissioners. Sir Gordon Wallacc
recently retired as President of the Court of
Appeal of New South Wales. He had
previously been a judge of the Supreme
Court of that State. While at the Bar he
held office as President of the New South
Wales Bar Association in 1957-58 and Vice-
President of the Law Council of Australia
in 1957. Dr Smith is a Doctor of Science,
a Fellow of the Royal Society, Director of
the Plymouth Laboratory of the Marine
Biological Association of the United Kingdom,
Chairman of Trustees of the British
Museum of Natural History and Chairman
of the Indian Ocean Biological Centre Consultative
Committee. He has held teaching
appointments at the Universities of Manchester,
Sheffield and Cambridge and for
some years was Professor of Zoology at the
University of London. He has served on
the Science Research Council of Great
Britain and on the Council and Committees
of the Royal Society of London. As Director
of the Plymoruth Laboratory, he organised
the research undertaken by the Plymouth
staff on the effects of the ' Torrey Canyon' oil pollution on marine life. Mr Moroney
is a consultant petroleum engineer with
experience in problems of off-shore operations.
He has had over 40 years experience
with oil companies in engineering and
managerial positions throughout North and
South America. He graduated from the
Georgetown University and is a member of
the Canadian -Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy and of the American Institute
of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers.
The inquiry would be an open one and
the royal commissioners have sufficient
authority to collect any evidence required.
All interested parties could appear beforc.
the commission and state their views and
adduce evidence to support those views. The
commissioners will make announcements
on arrangements for the hearing of such
evidence. Counsel assisting the royal commissions
will -be Mr A. E. Woodward,
of the Victorian Bar and Mr
C. E. K. Hampson of the Queensland Bar.
I present the following paper:
Great Barrier Reef, Inquiry into Drilling for
Petroleum-Ministerial Statement
Dr Patterson-Will the Prime Minister
move that the House take note of the paper?
Mr GORTON-Yes. I move:
That the House take note of the paper.
W. G. MURAY.& G, overnment Printer, Canberra