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

The New South Wales North Coast is such a great place to live but, as locals know, there is a threat posed to everything we have and this is from harmful coal seam gas mining. I have made my position very clear on this issue. I do not support coal seam gas mining and other unconventional gas mining activities within our region. With the coming state election in New South Wales, I am very pleased that New South Wales Labor's election policy is also very clear. Labor will ban harmful coal seam gas mining and unconventional gas mining activities across the North Coast of New South Wales.

In contrast, it is shameful that North Coast National Party representatives have announced their support for a pro-fracking gas plan. In fact, the National Party's CSG policy puts at risk existing clean and green businesses like tourism, agriculture and food production. It is shameful that National Party MPs like Thomas George, Geoff Provest and candidate Kris Beavis and their Liberal-National government have a pro-CSG expansion policy that will put harmful CSG wells into our valleys, farmlands and villages.

At the state election on 28 March, I am proud to be supporting our great Labor candidates on the North Coast. The choice is very clear. Labor's policy is to ban CSG in our region, whereas the National Party's agenda is to expand harmful coal seam gas mining. That is why no-one trusts the National Party. So on 28 March I am asking the people of northern New South Wales to vote Labor for a gas field free North Coast.