Environmentalists are frustrated by the soft penalty received by gas giant Santos following an oil spill that conservationists allege had a catastrophic environmental impact.

Anna Chapman from the Conservation Council of WA explained to 6PR’s Chrissy Morrissy that the $10,000 penalty means “multinational gas companies pay less for spilling oil into the ocean than the average West Australian pays for petrol.”

“We have the state government tasked with safeguarding our delicate marine ecosystem, and yet they seem powerless to hold multinational oil and gas companies to account,” she said.

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