Lock the Gate Alliance has welcomed NSW Labor’s commitment to a statewide moratorium on coal seam gas activity as a priority in its environmental agenda released today, and called on all major parties to ensure that the immediate threats of coal seam gas are addressed.
Last week, the Christian Democrats announced they would join the Greens in supporting a five-year moratorium on coal seam gas mining because of concerns about the industry's impact on health, prime agricultural land and drinking water catchments.
Lock the Gate Alliance spokesperson Phil Laird said farmers and landholders across NSW welcomed Labor’s support of a coal seam gas moratorium and urged the Coalition to make the same election promise.
“We have consensus across the political spectrum for an immediate stop on all coal seam gas mining in NSW, with Mike Baird and the Coalition increasingly isolated in holding out against the moratorium,” he said.
“At the last election, the Coalition promised rural communities that it would stand with them with stronger protections against the threat of coal seam gas and fracking. It’s not too late in the final two weeks of the election for the Baird Government to do the right thing, call a halt to rampant coal seam gas and deliver lasting reform of coal seam gas in NSW.
“Labor’s moratorium commitment is welcome, but the detail of their promises for communities facing immediate threat is not clear. People in Gloucester, Camden and Narrabri need certainty that the next NSW Government, whoever they are, will act immediately to address the threats these communities are experiencing and facing.
“The enormous groundswell of discontent must be addressed and statutory protections put in place not just for future coal seam gas, but where the threat and the impact is happening now.
Lock the Gate Alliance will soon be releasing a review of all parties’ policies and actions on coal mining and coal seam gas key electoral hotspots where mining is a major issue.