Queensland is in danger of becoming known as a petro-state as politicians and gas industry bosses clamber to sacrifice more of the state to unconventional gas.
The gas industry’s chief lobby group APPEA is holding its annual conference in Brisbane today, and there are reports that gas companies State Gas and Santos will be named among preferred tenderers for a “major Queensland gas exploration scheme”.
Palaszczuk Government Resources Minister Scott Stewart is also expected to blow the trumpet for an already announced and extremely controversial gas pipeline plan that would link Bowen Basin tenements to the existing pipeline network near Roma.
The conference is being held the same day a new report was released which shows five of the largest gas companies active in Australia, including recalcitrant CSG company Arrow Energy, paid little to no tax on $138 billion in revenue over the past seven years.
Landowner Celia Karp, from Springvale on the West Downs said, “The Palaszczuk government is complicit in the coal seam gas industry’s destruction of farmland. It is state sanctioned theft of farmland.
“With the sacrificing of more land to gas, it appears nearly all our food will be grown in gasfields.
“Australians need to ask whether they want their food to be grown in polluting, environmentally destructive gasfields.”
Lock the Gate Alliance Queensland spokesperson Ellie Smith said with a network of gas pipelines and thousands of gas wells already spread across Southern Queensland, there was no need to sacrifice any more of the state.
“Since the Palaszczuk Government was elected, it has sacrificed a larger area of land than the state of Tasmania and the ACT combined to gas - how much more do these greedy companies want?
“Queensland is a beautiful state, known around the world for its high quality farming produce and its stunning natural tourism destinations. But all this is at stake if the Palaszczuk Government continues to do the gas industry’s bidding and sacrifices more land to unconventional gas.
“Ripping up and destroying more farmland and draining more groundwater will do nothing to reduce skyrocketing gas prices - renewable energy is ready now to power Australia while preserving the places we love most.
“The Palaszczuk Government needs to change course and preserve Queensland for Queenslanders who do not want to lose what they love most about this state.”
ENDS