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Two Years On: Labor Ban On Fracking Rock Solid

29 August 2018

Two years ago today, the Andrews Labor Government permanently banned the exploration and development of onshore unconventional gas in Victoria, including hydraulic fracturing – or ‘fracking’ – and coal seam gas.

Two years on, only Labor can be trusted to maintain the ban and protect Victoria’s agricultural sector – and the regional jobs, families and communities it supports.

The Labor Government’s ban on fracking protects the ‘clean, green’ reputation of Victoria’s agriculture sector, which employs more than 190,000 people, and provides much-needed certainty to regional communities.

The decision to ban fracking formed part of the response to the 2015 Parliamentary Inquiry into Onshore Unconventional Gas in Victoria, an inquiry which received more than 1600 submissions, mostly opposed to onshore unconventional gas.

The Victorian community spoke – they simply don’t support fracking – and the Labor Government listened.

Victoria is the nation’s top food and fibre producer with exports worth $13 billion. The permanent ban protects our farmers and preserves Victoria’s hard-won reputation for producing high quality food.

While Liberals and Nationals across the country, including in Canberra, continue to show they are soft on fracking, Victorians can be certain that for as long as we have a Labor Government in Victoria, fracking in this state will be forever banned.

There is deep division within Coalition ranks on fracking – that while the Nationals talk a big game about protecting Victorian farmers, they’ll always roll over for their Liberal masters.

The Liberals have already reversed their support for the onshore conventional gas moratorium, and when it comes to fracking, they can’t be trusted.

Quotes attributable to Treasurer and Minister for Resources Tim Pallas

“Two years ago we put farmers first and ended fracking forever. Only Labor will keep it that way.”

“You can’t trust the Liberals and Nationals on fracking. The Federal Government are trying to open up agricultural land across the country to dangerous, dirty fracking and if given the chance, Matthew Guy will do it here in Victoria.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development Jaala Pulford

“We’ve listened to Victorians who have made it clear that they don’t support fracking. Our farmers produce some of the world’s cleanest and freshest food, and we won’t put that at risk.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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