Government to Fund Maintenance of Abandoned Oil Platform Off WA Coast
The Australian government has stepped in to fund the maintenance and safety of an abandoned oil platform off the coast of Western Australia, with taxpayers initially footing the bill. The move comes after the collapse of the platform's owners left locals concerned about the impact on nearby crayfishing grounds.
Taxpayers will foot the immediate bill to keep an abandoned oil rig off Western Australia's Midwest coast in a safe condition.
The Cliff Head oil platform has sat mothballed since the collapse of its owners in July, leaving locals in Dongara, 350 kilometres north of Perth, worried about the potential impact on crayfishing grounds nearby.
Government Intervention
Describing the rig as mothballed and neglected, local fishermen have demanded clarity on who would oversee the decommissioning of the rig and surrounding pipelines.
In a ministerial instrument signed last week, Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King authorised taxpayer funding to stabilise the rig, with her office maintaining all costs to government would be recovered.
A spokesperson said it would be unacceptable to do nothing while waiting for the insolvency process to be completed.