Lock the Gate Alliance has welcomed the release today of the NSW parliamentary report into the supply and cost of gas, saying that the Parliamentary Committee has effectively called for a halt to CSG drilling in NSW.
The report recommends that no more CSG be contemplated in New South Wales until the Chief Scientist’s recommendations are fully implemented and that there be an audit of the regulatory tools available to the Government to improve transparency and openness in the gas market.
Contrary to industry scare campaigns, the Committee confirmed that recent gas price hikes have been caused by the CSG mining and export industry in Qld, and that no amount of CSG drilling in NSW will reduce prices.
Furthermore, they stated that is the industry that is responsible for supply and cost shocks and that “All governments must take action to ensure the interests of the wider community come first.”
Lock the Gate National Coordinator, Phil Laird, said, “The Government must take these recommendations to heart and act now to put the Gloucester and Narrabri projects on hold before any more damage is done."
“After waiting so long to hear the Chief Scientist’s recommendations, we cannot wait any longer for them to be implemented. The NSW Gas Plan is now in tatters, and must be completely re-written off the back of this report.
“We are calling for Mike Baird to immediately announce a completely new approach which puts CSG mining on hold in NSW.
“We support a COAG discussion and full and open transparency in the gas market.
“The pain that is being experienced by landholders, manufacturers and gas consumers is being caused by the greed and secrecy of the gas giants, and the national interest is suffering."