Scott Levi:"It's 13 to 8 ABC Central Coast and apparently the...

Scott Levi:
"It's 13 to 8 ABC Central Coast and apparently the company that's doing gas exploration off the coast is now saying its going to be a very green process because its going to put, if they're given the green light, by the state government [he means the federal government] going to put carbon dioxide down into the Earth in the hole that they are making. Now this story, apparently they have been proposing this for a while but they just put out a prospectus yesterday to say that this is their plan and its something that we haven't covered here on the Central Coast so we will bring you that and your thoughts are welcome to 1300925222 is the number. With the Prime Minister saying that this wont go head with the local member for Robertson Lucy Wicks who sits in the current federal Government saying it wont go ahead, why is the company going ahead, or saying their going ahead, what are your thoughts on that? Is it really dead in the water or is the fight still on we'd love to hear from some of those people involved in that fight it seems to be one of the biggest ground swells of public outcry over a project that we've ever seen here on the Central Coast with politicians of all persuasions joining forces to say no, as well. But according to the company there is a green aspect to this where they are going to be storing carbon under the sea bed and is that tried and tested as yet? They're saying it is, we're going to bring you that story in just a bit we'd love your thoughts as well. 0467922684 on the SMS."

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"Good morning, it's 8 to 8 and despite the political rhetoric of the local federal member Lucy Wicks and the Prime Minister saying they won't let it happen, and a huge ground swell of opposition, Advent Energy the company behind the PEP-11 Gas exploration license, say their going full steam ahead with new plans for Geo Sequestration, carbon capture storage to fill the gas well they propose to dig 26k's offshore from the Central Coast n' Newcastle, they propose to fill it with pressurised CO2 as a green initiative. David Breeze is the director of Advent Energy the company behind the plan, he will join us in just a moment, and uh, I think a lot of people thought this fight was over, so many people calling this program and sending in text messages to say that they oppose this and then the politicians backing them up. So the company certainly have other plans according to David Breeze, whose the director at Advent Energy from Western Australia."

David Breeze:
"We're at the point where we are going through a contracting process to enable the drilling for gas but also to do a CCS evaluation for carbon storage which is again a part of a crucial element of net zero 2050 objectives."

Scott Levi:
"Can you explain what that means to the lay person, David?"

David Breeze:
"Uh so yes, umm, the area offshore Newcaslte and by the way we are drilling 26km out to sea, is a gas prone basin, so the Eastern Australia has a critical need for gas for its future energy needs and base load power, but on the carbon capture component. 1/3 of all of Australia's CO2 emissions comes from an arc that runs from Newcastle around through the Hunter valley down through Sydney and to Wollongong, including the Central Coast. So, there are significant sources of CO2 and the international bodies have recognised including the IEA and others have recognised that removing the carbon dioxide from the waste product stream from coal fired power stations but also from a whole range of other industrial sources is one way in which or perhaps the most significant way in order to reach a net zero emissions target. The net result is removing CO2 from the emissions stream can in fact enable Australia to meet its carbon... uh to have a substantial input into the reduction and the meeting of Australia's carbon dioxide emission reduction."

Scott Levi:
"That's David Breeze there the director of Advent Energy saying that now this project will also be a carbon capture project, if given the green light. Of course we heard from the Prime Minister and the local federal member Lucy Wicks, Zali Steggall, northern beaches liberal and labor politicians and independents all saying that their not in favor, so its interesting that the company has these new plans."

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"Tony's on the line just before the news he heard in local focus that the company Advent Energy there in partnership with Bounty Gas and Oil, 85% to 15% are still forging ahead they're still saying that they're exploring for gas of our coast 26k's off the Central Coast and Newcastle Coast, and they've release plans and this maybe something they've been talking about for a while but we haven't covered it here on the Central Coast. They've released plans they say to make it a greener, cleaner gas well by when they pull out the gas to replace it with carbon dioxide its called carbon capture storage its a technology that they say are being used in some of the other countries around the world. I know $30million in research was spent in Newcastle to try to work out whether it was effective or not, i'm not quite sure, we'd have to get an expert on to get the details there for you, but Tony wanted to just comment on the whole thing, uh Tony are you one of the people who are opposed to the idea of the gas well or gas wells off the coast?

Tony:
"Well just one of many umm, I mean we've got the PM we've got Lucy Wicks we've got the deputy premiere of NSW all against it, there are thousands and thousands of people including all of the surf riders etc and uh I don't know about capturing the carbon but I certainly just think they're after the gas myself, and oil.

Scott Levi:
"Have you heard that before though that when they pull the gas out, it could be a spot to store CO2 to help the planet? Help the climate?

Tony:
"Yeh no, that's a new one on me. But uh, I don't know enough about that one, if its at all possible or not, I wouldn't think that would be very easy at all.

Scott Levi:
"Nah, it seemed to come out of the blue, anyway. I certainly hadn't heard it here on the Central Coast, but they put out a statement yesterday didnt they?

Tony:
"Yeh they did. A decision uh.. Keith Pitt's gotta make is: the permit's stopped on February this year, but until a decision is made they can do whatever they like.

Scott Levi:
"But surely Keith Pitt would be taking guidance from the Prime Minister, it's his boss saying he doesn't want it and I think NOPTA are set to make the decision very soon but they would be no doubt told what to do by Keith Pitt it is assumed there was suppose to be an independent body, at the end of the day the buck stops with Mr. Pitt and the Government doesn't it?"

Tony:
Yeh well, one would think so, it looks like it is just up with Keith Pitt, and if he says yes, that's it. I mean I would have thought the PM could override it, if he doesn't want it and not listening to the people. And this is a big thing because the people have got no say in the damn thing.

Scott Levi:
"But is it dead in the water or is it still a going concern?

Tony:
"No, well that's just one of many contracts that keep coming up, they keep going and getting more and more contracts signed up, it makes me wonder if they start getting contracts, or a memorandum of understanding, unless you've got something that's pretty positive, and you're looking reasonably good on it.

Scott Levi:
"But that could be on the previso that they get the Green light from the Government and at this stage we're being told by the Prime Minister that won't be the case, anyway Tony thanks for joining the debate, its an interesting one, and it certainly opens up other areas where we would explore too. We'll go to some experts and find out if carbon capture and storage is a viable thing, if it is working..."

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Scott Levi:
Messages after Paul Kelly, here on the Central Coast:
..
"It's time to get in a few of the SMS messages coming through on some of the issues this morning, on the PEP-11 this one from Margaret at Avoca who writes "I believe, saying no to PEP11 by the Prime Minister is just a public front, he could stop this if he wanted to and override minister Keith Pitt. Scott Morrison is pretending to be against it for the purpose of votes, he has to go, says Margaret."