Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to report to the House that at the recent New South Wales state Labor conference an urgency motion was unanimously passed supporting a coal seam gas mining free North Coast. This is a vitally important step, as it means that the choice now is so very clear. We in the Labor Party will protect our region from the harmful impact of CSG mining. It will be off limits to coal seam gas and unconventional gas industries. This is in stark contrast to the National Party, who want to actually expand CSG mining on the North Coast. In passing this urgency motion, the state Labor conference noted that (a) on the North Coast of New South Wales there is overwhelming community opposition to coal seam gas and unconventional gas mining and mining operations, (b) the community's concerns relate to the harmful effects of CSG mining on water quality, farmlands, the environment, communities, residents' health and tourism, (c) the CSG industry has no social licence to operate on the North Coast, (d) the North Coast has unique environmental qualities and (e) CSG mining is incompatible with our employment sectors.

The conference further condemned the New South Wales Liberal-Nationals government's pro CSG, fracking, drilling and expansion agenda. The conference also supported an immediate moratorium on CSG activities and licences within the boundaries of the state parliamentary seats of Lismore, Ballina, Clarence and Tweed. The conference supported a declaration that those same state seats therefore be off limits to CSG and unconventional gas industries. The fact is, only those of us in the Labor Party will stand up for a CSG-free North Coast. The National Party never will. They have abandoned the people of our region.