Dear Editor,
There has been a great deal of uncertainty and large-scale community concern about hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) and coal seam gas in Victoria.
The moratorium did not solve this problem. It only brought more uncertainty and caused a great deal of anxiety to our farmers in the process.
Over the past few months, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to both farmers and regional communities.
What stood out strongly was that the environment is the economy in regional Victoria : if you do things that compromise the environment – and in particular, water security – you do things that compromise the agricultural sector, which employs more than 190,000 people.
We will not put our ‘clean, green’ reputation of Victoria’s agriculture sector at risk.
In a national first, the Andrews Labor Government is introducing a permanent ban on the exploration and development of all onshore unconventional gas in Victoria – including hydraulic fracturing ('fracking') and coal seam gas.
Quite clearly this is one of the biggest issues affecting regional Victoria.
Surprisingly, it is still unclear whether the Victorian Nationals will support our move to ban fracking. They're nowhere to be seen or heard.
Will the Nationals support the legislative ban or will they side with the Liberals' calls for more uncertainty, indecision and inaction?
I’m calling on all National Party MPs to declare their support for the legislation, which will ban fracking and coal seam gas once and for all.
The Hon. Wade Noonan MP
Minister for Resources
Reviewed 19 August 2020