Origin Energy’s incremental exit from its Lake Eyre Basin fracking tenements shows the Queensland Palaszczuk Government is out of step with even the most gas-thirsty of fracking companies.
The company announced today it would “transfer its interest in five permits back to (joint venture partner) Bridgeport”, while its remaining 12 permits in the Lake Eyre Basin were under “strategic review”.
Lock the Gate Alliance national coordinator Ellen Roberts said:
“We’d like to see Origin get out of gas all together, and relinquish its tenements totally, rather than selling them off to smaller operators. Selling off fracking tenements does nothing to reduce greenhouse emissions, and creates a great risk that if these smaller operators go bust, Queensland taxpayers will be forced to step in and pay for the cleanup, as occurred recently in WA.
“Rather than risk this, the Palaszczuk Government needs to honour its multiple promises and make good on the mandate it has been elected with for the previous three elections and protect the pristine rivers and creeks of the Lake Eyre Basin by banning new gas in the floodplain.
“Traditional Owners and local pastoralists have voiced their opposition to fracking in the Lake Eyre Basin. Origin knows it faces determined opposition and is taking steps to exit the region - it’s time the Palaszczuk Government recognised that as well.”
ENDS