PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Victoria is poised to become the first state to permanently ban unconventional gas mining after the Victorian Coalition announced that it would vote in support of the ban on fracking.
Reports have emerged that the coalition would not oppose the Resources Legislation Amendment (Fracking Ban) Bill 2016, which was again introduced to Parliament by the Labour government.
“Victorians have resoundingly rejected fracking, and we’re putting an end to it,” Resource Minister Wade Noonan said on Wednesday.
“It threatens the reputation of our vital agricultural sector and puts the state’s world-class food producers and regional economies at risk.”
The Bill, if passed, will permanently ban all onshore unconventional gas exploration and development, including fracking and coal seam gas, and will extend the moratorium on conventional onshore gas exploration and development to June 30, 2020.
Noonan said that extending the moratorium to 2020 will allow for experts to carry out scientific, technical and environmental studies on the risks, benefits and impacts of onshore conventional gas.
The work will be overseen by Victoria’s lead scientist in consultation with a stakeholder advisory committee made up of farmers, industry, local government and community members.
Greens group Lock the Gate Alliance has welcomed the coalition’s support of the Bill, with national coordinator Phil Laird saying state moratoriums on unconventional gas were a result of the failure of the gas industry to gain a social licence from regional communities.
“Numerous different polls across the country have consistently shown an average of 84% of people are concerned by the impact of unconventional gas on water resources and farmland.
“In Victoria, polling shows only 9.7% of Victorians are opposed to the ban.
“There is no point trying to foist a dangerous and unwanted industry on regional people. There are clear alternatives to unconventional gas and the [Malcolm] Turnbull government should drop its scare campaign and get started on renewable alternatives.”
The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) has slammed the coalition’s decision, with CEO Malcolm Roberts saying that both sides of politics in Victoria have decided to ignore facts about the gas industry in favour of short-term politics.
“The government and the opposition have decided not just to prohibit hydraulic fracturing – the bogeyman peddled by activists – but to extend the blanket ban on conventional onshore gas exploration and development,” Roberts said.
“Until recently, Victoria had a successful conventional onshore gas industry. The opportunity to create local jobs and local gas supply has been thrown away.”