In August, our MP Dave Sharma along with MP Jason Falinski and Senator Bragg published a YouTube video saying: “Offshore oil and gas drilling should not be happening off the coast of Sydney.” It was a very positive video in solidarity with local communities opposing the Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 (PEP11) exploration off our immediate coastline. We, along with many of the Wentworth electorate were happy to see this. Unfortunately, the threat of PEP11 has not gone away, because the decision whether to extend the permit rests with the Resources Minister Keith Pitt who has not yet confirmed that he will rule it out. So Zali Steggall, MP for Warringah, introduced a Bill to allow Parliament to cancel PEP11 and prohibit any further petroleum exploration or exploitation in the PEP11.
MP Dave Sharma voted along party lines to block a debate on the Stopping PEP11 Bill. We wrote to Mr Shrama to ask: “why?” If he wants to stop PEP11… what actual steps is he going to take to secure that outcome?
You can read our letter below: