South Australian senators from the old parties have today voted against protecting South Australia's foremost tourism icon, Kangaroo Island, from oil and gas exploration.

Australian Greens Senator for South Australia Penny Wright said the lack of support for her Senate motion would be a huge disappointment for the hundreds of thousands of South Australians who want to protect the Island.

I move that the Senate:

1)      notes the public comment period has started,  for Bight Petroleum's referral (Reference Number 2013/6770) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), which sets out its intention to do seismic testing in Commonwealth waters, to the west of Kangaroo Island in South Australia;

2)      recognises the economic, ecological and social importance of the Kangaroo Island marine environment, first and foremost for the Kangaroo Island community, but also for  South Australia as a whole; and

Almost three quarters of South Australians want Kangaroo Island to be protected from planned oil and gas drilling, according to polling data released by the Australian Greens today.

A Lonergan poll of 1582 South Australians found only 16 per cent of voters supported the Bight Petroleum proposal for oil and gas exploration in the Kangaroo Island Canyon and Pools.

Q. Do you think the coast of Kangaroo Island should be protected from planned oil and gas drilling?

The majority (72%) of South Australian voters believe the coast of Kangaroo Island should be protected from planned oil and gas drilling. 12 % were unsure, and 16% believed it should be allowed.

Taking out those who were unsure, 82% of South Australians wanted Kangaroo Island to be protected.

Australian Greens Senator for South Australia says today's decision to force a proposal for oil and gas exploration off the coast of Kangaroo Island through a Federal environmental assesment is a big win for community campaigning.

Senator Wright has worked extensively with the community on this campaign and says Environment Minister Tony Burke's decision today was one step closer to recognising Kangaroo Island is too precious to lose.

The future of the Kangaroo Island community is again in the hands of Environment Minister Tony Burke as he decides on a second application for oil and gas exploration off the Island's coast, says Senator for South Australia, Senator Penny Wright.

Senator Wright said Minister Burke should listen to community calls to reject Bight Petroleum's resubmitted application outright for failing to address previously-raised concerns.

"Minister Burke has now received over 20,000 emails calling on him to reject this proposal and recognise Kangaroo Island is too precious to lose.

Bight Petroleum’s proposal was released yesterday, leaving the Kangaroo Island community concerned about oil and gas exploration in their backyard and with only a handful of days to act, says South Australian Senator Penny Wright.

The mining company yesterday submitted a new application to conduct seismic exploration off the west coast of Kangaroo Island, following the public release of a number of documents last week.

Seismic testing off the coast of Kangaroo Island would risk serious environmental and economic damage at any time of year, says South Australian Senator Penny Wright.

Oil and gas exploration company Bight Petroleum this morning announced intentions to withdraw and resubmit an application to conduct seismic testing near Kangaroo Island to alter the proposed timeframe.

"Seismic testing involves shooting extremely loud blasts of compressed air through the ocean every ten seconds, 24 hours a day, for weeks on end," Senator Wright said.