{"id":167890,"date":"2025-08-21T04:00:05","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T18:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/?p=167890"},"modified":"2025-08-20T17:18:51","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T07:18:51","slug":"renewables-advocates-slam-victorias-new-gas-licence-proposals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/news\/renewables-advocates-slam-victorias-new-gas-licence-proposals\/","title":{"rendered":"Renewables advocates slam Victoria\u2019s new gas licence proposals"},"content":{"rendered":"

TWO environmental groups have slammed the Victorian government for possible petroleum exploration licences in the Otways, saying the state\u2019s focus should be on renewables instead of gas.<\/p>\n

Last week, the Victorian government announced its proposal to invite applications for two permits.<\/p>\n

One of them is in the offshore Otway Basin in state waters, covering an area of 54sqkm between Warrnambool and Port Campbell.<\/p>\n

According to the Engage Victoria consultation page for the possible tender, which is open until September 9, the areas for consultation in the Otways and Gippsland \u201chave been identified by the industry as the areas of most interest for exploration<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n

Environment Victoria senior climate and energy Advisor Dr Kat Lucas-Healey described the tender as an \u201cinvitation to wring out the last of Victoria\u2019s gas\u201d that would \u201cin effect invite more damaging climate pollution into Victoria, at a time when local communities are keen to transition to a renewable powered future<\/a>“.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery new petroleum license issued means more climate pollution harming the marine environment and causing extreme weather impacts. These licenses will mean drilling near sensitive coastal areas such as Jack Smith Lake and the Bay of Islands along the Great Ocean Road.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is disappointing that the Allan Government is still leaving the door open to seismic blasting in our marine environments. Victoria\u2019s coastal communities have been very clear that they do not accept seismic blasting<\/a>. Seismic blasting disrupts feeding and migration patterns, wipes out krill and even causes hearing loss in whales.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friends of the Earth Melbourne offshore gas campaigner Stan Woodhouse said Victorians wanted and needed electrification, not more gas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis move from the Allan Government betrays their lack of vision.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fabled east coast shortfall has sensible solutions and this is not one of them. The government needs to demonstrate leadership instead of folding to pressure from the fossil
\nfuel industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Victorian government\u2019s responsibility is to communities and the Country they depend on, not the boards and shareholders of resource companies.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe science is very clear: if we are to limit warming enough to keep out heads above water, fossil fuels need to stay in the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Engage Victoria website states the Victorian government \u201caims to minimise seismic surveys where possible\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cCompanies are encouraged to reduce the impact of their exploration activities by using existing data.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce the feedback period has ended, Resources Victoria will consolidate relevant information into the tender documents.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tender of areas does not automatically result in the award and grant of exploration permits.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information, head to engage.vic.gov.au\/petroleum-exploration-permit-tender<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

TWO environmental groups have slammed the Victorian government for possible petroleum exploration licences in the Otways, saying the state\u2019s focus should be on renewables instead of gas. Last week, the Victorian government announced its proposal to invite applications for two permits. One of them is in the offshore Otway Basin in state waters, covering an […]<\/p>\n

Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":142,"featured_media":167943,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-167890","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRenewables advocates slam Victoria\u2019s new gas licence proposals - Surf Coast Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/news\/renewables-advocates-slam-victorias-new-gas-licence-proposals\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Renewables advocates slam Victoria\u2019s new gas licence proposals - Surf Coast Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"TWO environmental groups have slammed the Victorian government for possible petroleum exploration licences in the Otways, saying the state\u2019s focus should be on renewables instead of gas. 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