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

I am very pleased to talk about a massive community victory that we had on the New South Wales North Coast. It really is a win for all of those who have been fighting harmful CSG mining in our region for many months and for many years. Last week, we had the New South Wales government announce their decision to buy back Metgasco's three Northern Rivers petroleum exploration licences—or PELs, as they are known. They were PEL13, PEL16 and PEL 426. The government announced that because of a massive community campaign in which we made it very clear that we opposed harmful coal seam gas mining within our region. I congratulate all of the people who worked so hard for this announcement. It is undoubtedly a huge community victory.

Whilst this PEL buyback is a significant step forward, the only way to permanently protect the North Coast is for the Liberal and National members in the New South Wales government to support New South Wales Labor's Coal Seam and Other Unconventional Gas Moratorium Bill 2015. They need to support that bill to make sure we have permanent protection into the future. Whilst this announcement last week was a great victory, we want to have permanent protection in place. The only way we can do that is by making sure we have that bill in place, so I implore the Liberal and National members of the New South Wales parliament to support it.

I would like to congratulate all of those community members who have worked tirelessly for months and years to ensure that we have a gas field free North Coast. They have signed petitions, attended rallies and gone to so many protests to make sure we have a gas field free North Coast.