Senator Chris Evans: The Minister for Resources and Energy has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question: (1) The map ''South-west Marine Region - Petroleum Titles (May 2012)'' identifies petroleum titles and acreage releases that intersect or are immediately adjacent to the final Commonwealth Marine Reserves proposal in the South-west Marine Region” as stated on the map up to and including the May 2012 acreage release. Only the leases that intersect or are adjacent to the reserves were included. For the purpose of determining adjacency, a 5km margin was applied, that is titles or acreage releases within 5km of the final Commonwealth Marine Reserves proposal were identified. (2) This question is more efficiently dealt with by treating the intersections as a group, as the response is the same for each. The content of the reserve management plan for these areas is still a matter to be finalised. However, the inclusion of all or part of a petroleum title within Commonwealth marine reserves that are zoned to permit those activities is not expected to significantly complicate operational arrangements for exploration or development of a petroleum resource. There may still be perceptions in the market that the conditions applied to petroleum activities affecting an area inside a marine reserve will be less favourable than those applied to the same activity outside. If this were the case it would be a reflection of the operational requirements determined by the environment in which the two activities are located, rather than a result of one being located within a reserve and the other outside. The activities compatible with each International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Category within the proposed marine reserves network have already been determined based on the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) Regulations pertaining to each IUCN Category. Australia’s interpretation of the IUCN category VI is that the exploration and production of oil and gas is consistent with that category. Consequently, oil and gas exploration and development will be permitted in all IUCN VI zones within the new proposed South-west Commonwealth marine reserves (with the exception of Special Purpose Zones which explicitly exclude oil and gas exploration and development i.e. the Special Purpose Zone off the Capes region in the SW marine region). Prior Usage Rights, Section 359(1) of the EPBC Act exempts any seabed usage rights that pre-date the proclamation of a reserve from the provisions of the reserve’s management arrangements. Subsequent titles, such as a retention lease granted following on from an exploration permit, are not protected by section 359. Release areas S12-1, S12-2 and existing titles of WA379-P, WA380-P, WA481-P, EPP37 - 42, overlap Commonwealth marine reserves and proposed reserves zoned Multiple Use Zones (IUCN VI), or Special Purpose Zones (IUCN VI) that allow petroleum activities. A permit or approval by the Director of National Parks will be required for petroleum activities in these areas of overlap. The areas are also subject to other applicable EPBC Act provisions and Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (OPGGS Act) requirements. That is, while some petroleum related activities in these areas require assessment and approval due to their potential to have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance (NES), all petroleum related activities require approval by the Director of National Parks (unless specifically identified in the management plan as not requiring approval). In addition, all petroleum activities must have approved and comply with an Environment Plan accepted by the National Offshore Petroleum, Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), the regulator under the OPGGS Act. Irrespective of where petroleum activities occur in the Commonwealth marine area, the regulatory regime established by the Australian Government under national environmental law, the EPBC Act, and the OPGGS Act, already ensure high standards of environment assessment, approval and practice apply to the industry.