Drilling down into Bight oil exploration debate

Commenting on the opinion piece: Drilling in the Bight? Don’t believe big oil’s spin 

Please take the time to watch the YouTube clip produced by Sea Shepherd Global about their Operation Jeedara.  It certainly opened my eyes to the devastation that could result from drilling in our amazing and fragile Great Australian Bight. 

If drilling goes ahead, the Bight will not be ‘Great’ any longer.  It has the potential to decimate what is now a huge pristine area inhabited by so much beautiful, unique, fragile and endangered wildlife.  Just ask the traditional owners of the land or for that matter, anyone who cares.  They know! – Prue Sutton

Why do we have to fight with our government to protect the environment? These people in charge get it wrong so often, but hold no responsibility for their actions. Look at the Darling River and the cotton farms. They want to mine coal and dredge through the (50% bleached from climate change) Great Barrier Reef.

Tasmania fought to keep the environment protected and has amazing sustainable tourism. We the people want to go and visit the places that man has not wrecked. Please help us save our ocean, the industries that rely on it, the tourism, our leisure and our lifestyle. Once it’s wrecked, no one can fix it. – Thomas Tesselaar

Sarah Hanson-Young claims “the fact remains South Australian’s do not want drilling in the Great Australian Bight”. Ms Hanson Young represents less than 10% of the electors in South Australia (in some areas less than 2 or 3%) and yet she presumes to know what South Australian’s want!

First, she uses a scare the pants off you tactic about a possible oil spill, then moves onto let us save the planet strategy (it doesn’t need saving, it has survived for billions of years without the Greens), then moves on to try and sully the characters of BP and Chevron, and also a Federal Liberal Senator.

Unfortunately, the only bit of opinion from Hanson-Young which has any substance is the potential oil spill, which is low risk, and given we do not live in a risk free world (not even the Greens), the Federal Regulator (NOPSEMA) is the right place to assess that risk, and make a decision. That decision will not be made in the popular press, despite Ms Hanson Young’s et al best endeavours.

Given the world and Australia will require petrol for our cars, avgas for those Greens forums on climate change, hydrocarbons for the many essentials in our daily lives, like plastics for mobile phones, PC’s, money, eyeglasses, tyres for our cars etc, crude oil will need to be explored for and new fields will need to be developed for decades to come.

It is better that Australia has its own crude oil self sufficiency than to rely on the Middle East, which has policies which Ms Hanson Young would find even more repugnant than what Australia has. If there is sufficient oil discovered in the Bight, then depending upon the production and the reserves, perhaps it may become economic to refine the oil in Australia.

There is only one way to find out, and that is to drill the prospect, bearing in mind, over a dozen wells have already been drilled in the Bight, all without incident and without viable commercial success. Ms Hanson Young’s continual histrionics perhaps will pave the way for a historic low vote for the Greens in SA in May. –Bruce Holland

Don’t rely on government-run addiction services

Guardian for Children and Young People Penny Wright speaking at yesterday’s International Family Drug Support Day in Adelaide. Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

Commenting on the story: Guardian’s personal plea on youth drug and alcohol services

My sympathies to all people affected by drug and alcohol addiction. Why is it that everyone turns to our governments for help, in overcoming their addictions?

I was afflicted by alcohol addiction for years, until a complete stranger turned my life around, by guiding me to various not for profit organisations that specialise in addictions. Government organisations work much too slowly in lending a helping hand. 

Pick up your phone and stretch out your hand to these magnificent unsung organisations, before it’s too late. – Mike Lesiw 

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