On 11 December 2025, the Australian Government announced 5 areas that would be available for bidding for petroleum exploration in the Otway Basin offshore Victoria and Tasmania.
Public consultation was open from then until 6 February 2026 and extended to 20 February 2026. We received 3672 submissions via our online consultation hub.
Respondents raised concerns about:
- environment and ecological risks
- climate change and emissions
- potential impacts on coastal communities and fisheries
- First Nations Sea Country and cultural values
- the consultation, regulatory and policy settings for offshore petroleum
- shipping navigation matters.
The summary report also includes information we received through targeted consultation to help applicants develop their bids for offshore petroleum exploration.