The Lock the Gate Alliance has described today’s Energy Green Paper as a “blueprint for a quarry economy,” criticising the Government for failing to outline a vision that will prevent Australia repeating government energy policy failures in the recent past.
Lock the Gate National Coordinator, Phil Laird, said, "This is not a recipe for energy security but more of the same, centred around an unsafe and unwanted onshore gas industry and unchecked coal mining," he said.
"Australians want our energy policy to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. What we have here is a blueprint for the fastest and most brutal quarry economy we can let loose, and rural landscapes, water resources and our food security will be the collateral damage."
The Green Paper, released today, seeks to fast track unconventional gas development in New South Wales to fix a manufactured short-fall in east coast gas supply being brought about by reckless coal seam gas export developments in Queensland.
"From the Kimberley and the Red Centre, to the rich farmlands of Gippsland, the Upper Hunter and Liverpool Plains, the landscapes, water resources and people of regional Australia are having unwelcome mining for coal and unconventional gas thrust upon them to meet the greedy demands of mining companies. This Green Paper shows that we clearly cannot look to Minister MacFarlane for balance and vision when it comes to mining for energy exports."
"New South Wales farmers and the viability of our precious groundwater should not be compromised to correct mistakes brought on by the excessive greed of gas companies and blunders of the Queensland and Federal Governments.”
The Energy White Paper -- Green Paper is available here.
Lock the Gate's Call to Country for national reform of mining is outlined here.