OPPOSITION spokesman on environment and climate resilience Omar Newell has warned against rushing into offshore oil exploration without clear environmental safeguards.

He is also questioning whether the country has the capacity to respond to a major spill or protect industries such as tourism and fishing from environmental disaster.

Making his contribution to the sectoral debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Newell said the Government had not provided sufficient clarity on the environmental implications of future offshore drilling or the protections that would be put in place if exploration moves forward.