The environmental group Friends of the Earth (FoE) has expressed concern about a report to the Victorian state government that could see the opening up of the Coal Seam Gas (CSG) industry in the state.
Former federal Liberal Party government minister Peter Reith, has produced a report discussing the eastern gas market and the production of unconventional gas (CSG) in Victoria, which will be handed to Victoria’s Liberal-National Premier, Dr Denis Napthine, today.
FoE said that although the report was unlikely to be made public immediately Mr Reith had made many of his views known through already released comments.
FoE spokesman Mr Cam Walker said “Mr Reith is using the spectres of an imminent gas crisis, job loss, rising prices, and the potential collapse of our manufacturing sector to scare the Victorian people into accepting his argument that we must start drilling for unconventional gas as soon as possible.”
“He paints a remarkably naive picture of the industry, where farmers in Queensland are ‘happy’ and a ‘well managed’ industry has revived regional centres.
“The true picture is far more complex, with known contamination of water and grave health concerns in places like Tara on the Darling Downs.”
Mr Walker elaborated on the environmental and social consequences of Mr Reith’s report if the plans were to go ahead.
“Gas prices will go up as we start to compete with the global market.
“This is because the federal and state governments have aggressively pushed the development of an export gas industry, regardless of the social and environmental costs.
“Mr Reith neglects to mention that unconventional gas is very expensive to produce because of the fact that methane is trapped in coal or rock seams.
“It will not save us from higher gas prices.
“Victoria has several decades’ worth of offshore conventional gas available, and by the time that runs out, we must have transitioned from reliance on fossil fuels to meet our energy needs.”
Mr Walker continued by pointing out discrepancies in Mr Reith’s suggested plans.
“Mr Reith’s arguments are full of obvious flaws.
“Densely populated Gippsland, in the state’s east, cannot be compared with inland Queensland.
“He doesn’t say where the massive quantities of water will come from that will be needed for fracking (hydraulic fracturing).
“He denies the many well documented contamination events that have occurred around the world.”
However, Mr Walker also mentioned the Premier’s involvement in the decision making process and how it will involve a community discussion.
“It is heartening to hear the Premier’s promise that there will be extensive community consultation before any decision is taken on this industry.
“We will also need data from an independent source to be able to decide if such an industry will be safe for people, land and water.
“The way to get this is through a state government inquiry: a proposal that the Coalition has twice voted against.
“Until we know what the community wants, and until we have the information to be able to decide if this industry can be safe and compatible with farming, the Premier must show leadership and extend the moratorium on coal seam gas to cover all exploration activity for all onshore gas.
“He must also rule out any further coal allocation.”
Additionally, Lock the Gate Victoria coordinator Ursula Alquier supported that argument by saying: “we know from our work with regional communities that any proposal to expand coal or unconventional gas operations will be deeply unpopular.
“The Coalition ignores this strong community concern at its peril.”
