Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] We are in a climate crisis, yet the major parties are continuing to approve fossil fuel projects to support the corporations who donate to them instead of taking the action that our community needs. In the beautiful Kimberley here in Western Australia, there is currently an application by an Australian gas corporation to establish fracking wells. This application is to open up 20 gas wells in this pristine part of the country, using 40 million litres of our precious water. It is clear that, as a community, we fear that, once this corporation gets its foot in, it will be a driving force behind more wells, more profits and more environmental destruction.

The consequences of fracking are clear. It pollutes the air, contaminates our drinking water and destroys our precious places. But WA Labor are continuing, regardless, to allow the Kimberley to be fracked by gas corporations and their billionaire owners. I would like to be absolutely clear: the Greens will always oppose fracking. I would like also to take a moment to acknowledge community organisations, including the Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council, Environs Kimberley and Frack Free WA, for their work in making submissions to the Environmental Protection Authority and for enabling others to do so. I'd like to thank the many community members who have taken time to make submissions. The Greens and the community know that we need to stop all new gas, oil and coal projects now in this critical decade if we are to stop climate change. Fracking the Kimberley will contribute to destroying our climate, but it is not too late. Together we can stop the Kimberley from being fracked.