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The oil has spread through an area known as a marine life super-highway; a migration corridor for whales and turtles, dotted by coral reefs and marine biodiversity hotspots.

The oil spill is one of Australia's worst in history. In the first week satellite images indicated that the slick covered almost 6,500 square kilometres of marine environment, which is 320,000 times the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. NASA images now suggest that the affected area has now grown to be at least twice that size.

Even if the slick were never to reach nearby Ashmore Reef or the Kimberley wilderness coast, wildlife such as turtles, dolphins, and whales that surface for air, and sea birds that dive for food, will be heavily affected in the open ocean.

The necessary use of dispersants (super-strong dishwashing liquid) to help break up the drifting slick will also harm the environment, with fishers stating fish stocks will be contaminated and reporting sick and dying sea turtles. Marine scientists have also expressed concern for coral and other marine communities on the sea floor.

The company responsible, PTTEP say that up to 400 barrels of oil are being discharged into the marine environment every day. Even if attempts to cap the leak are successful, this is expected to continue for another four weeks, by which time untold damage will have been inflicted.

This is an environmental crisis. The government, and the Australian community, needs to do all we can to remove the risk of this happening again. With less than 1% of the Kimberley marine environment protected we must and can do better.

We, the Australian people, call on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to:

1) Ensure that the West Atlas oil spill is capped at the earliest possible time, and all necessary resources are made available to clean up the slick and treat affected wildlife.

2) Commission an independent expert inquiry into how Australia can be better prepared to respond to similar disasters in future.

3) Create an Australia-wide network of marine sanctuaries which buffer and protect the most important parts of the Australian marine environment from polluting development.