Great Australian Bight oil drilling plans too 'technical' for FoI release, says regulator

National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority censors documents sought by Greenpeace

Australia's offshore oil regulator is censoring documents about BP's plans to drill in the Great Australian Bight on the grounds that environmental campaigners could use the information to "oppose all drilling activities" there - and that the plans are too "technical" for the public to understand.

Nathaniel Pelle, a Greenpeace campaign who requested the documents under freedom of information laws, said the decision hindered democratic debate.