Surfing and ocean charities support Stopping PEP11 Bill and announce virtual community town hall series
August 10th, 2021
Surfrider Foundation Australia, Save Our Coast, Surfers for Climate and Living Ocean Australia are today throwing their support behind Zali Steggall's Stopping PEP11 Bill, and announcing a #STOPPEP11 community town hall series to inform NSW coastal citizens about the proposed offshore oil and gas project.
Three virtual town halls will be held on Zoom from August 17-19 for people living in the Northern Beaches, Eastern Suburbs and Central Coast. The town halls will educate these coastal communities about the economic and environmental threats posed by PEP11, and what can be done to stop it. The events will also outline how projects like PEP11 are being enabled by the Government's 'gas-led recovery' agenda. Registrations are freely accessible via the Surfrider website .
High profile speakers will include:
● Layne Beachley AO, 7x World Surfing Champion (Northern Beaches) ● Zali Steggall OAM MP (Northern Beaches)
● Dave Sharma MP (Eastern Suburbs)
● Matt Thistlethwaites MP (Eastern Suburbs)
● Belinda Baggs, Surfers for Climate co-founder (Eastern Suburbs) ● Ace Buchan, WSL Pro Surfer (Central Coast)
● Emma McBride MP (Central Coast)
● Bruce Robertson, Energy Finance Analyst, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (All events)
● Damien Cole, Surfrider Foundation National Campaign Director (All events)
Each town hall will be MCed by Laura Wells, science communicator, model and star of reality TV show Survivor. Other local MPs, including Jason Falinski and Lucy Wicks, have been invited.
The Petroleum Exploration Permit 11, known as PEP11, is a 4,500 square kilometre offshore oil and gas exploration permit extending from Manly Beach, up through the Central Coast to Newcastle.
"Surfing and ocean community groups have been fighting PEP11 for years. It's truly baffling that the threat is still there when politicians from all sides of politics have come out in opposition to PEP11." said Damien Cole, Surfrider Foundation's National Campaign Director.
"Almost every single politician who has
