MEDIA RELEASE
25 February 2020

The Fight for the Bight is over… for now

SA’s peak body for the environment welcomes news this morning that Norwegian company Equinor will abandon plans to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight.

“This is incredibly welcome news and we are glad to see common sense prevail,” said Conservation SA Chief Executive Craig Wilkins.

“Congratulations to all the campaigners, community groups and individuals who have kept up the Fight for the Bight throughout this difficult time,” he said.

“It’s a testament to the tenacity of the people and organisations who have never given up the fight to protect this ecologically and culturally significant part of our great state.”

Equinor is now the third company to dump plans to drill in the Great Australia Bight, following BP in 2016 and Chevron in 2017.

But we can’t assume that’s the end of the story, said Mr Wilkins.

“We might have won the battle, but that doesn’t mean we’ve won the war,” he said. “We need to remain vigilant to protect our Great Australian Bight and the incredible wildlife that calls it home.”

Release ends

Media contact: Craig Wilkins, 0417 879 439