Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 08/03/2011
Reporter: Minsi Chung
Petroleum giant Shell plans to drill for oil 50 kilometres from the national heritage listed Ningaloo Reef.
Transcript
ALI MOORE, PRESENTER: Petroleum giant Shell is on a collision course with conservationists over a plan to drill for oil 50 kilometres from Ningaloo Reef, a national heritage listed area.
The industry says it’s safe, but critics argue it puts wildlife and irreplaceable coral reefs at serious risk.
Minsi Chung reports from Perth.
MINSI CHUNG, REPORTER: Ningaloo Reef is recognised as one of the state’s major tourism drawcards and is on the waiting list for world heritage status. Now Shell wants federal environmental approval to drill an exploration well. If it gets the go ahead, work could start as early as September.