There are fears that the Indonesian fishing industry of the Indonesian coastline could be jeopardised due to oil that spewed from a leaking well off the West Australian coast
The Greens are calling on operator PTTEP Australasia to compensate West Timorese fishing communities in West Timor if reports of oil reaching the coastline are confirmed.
Greens senator Rachel Siewert said she received a DVD by the West Timor Care Foundation today that shows large patches of an oil-like substance on the water, dying fish floating in the slick and Indonesian fishermen collecting the poluted material in water bottles.
“We are suspicious it is oil from the Montara well. We are deeply concerned. West Timorese fishermen had stopped fishing in the area and the oil slick was threatening the livelihood of people who were already living in poverty. They are poor fishers who rely on fishing. They have stopped fishing and feeding it to their families,” Ms Siewert said.
Ms Siewert today called on the Rudd Government to urgently investigate the claims, take proper samples and analyse the oil.
She said the Greens intended to supply the DVD of the suspected Montara oil slick to the Federal Government’s inquiry into the leak as soon as submissions were accepted.
