Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have further informa­tion which I seek leave to incorporate into Hansard in response to a question without notice from Senator Milne on 12 May 2011 to me representing the Minister for Health and Ageing in relation to hydraulic fracturing or 'fracking'.

Leave granted.

The answer read as follows—

Further information in response to a question without notice from Senator Milne on 12 May 2011 to Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig, Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing.

The process of extracting coal seam gas is known as hydraulic fracturing or "fracking". The process involves injecting a mixture of water, sand and chemical additives underground to break apart rock formations to free trapped gas and oil. Commonly 99% of the fracking fluid is water and sand.

Industrial chemicals are required to be listed on a national chemical inventory maintained by the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS). The chemicals used in fracking are listed on the inventory, however, the majority of these chemicals have not been assessed by NICNAS.

Existing chemicals listed on the inventory are assessed by NICNAS on a priority basis and those assessments, which include recommendations about safe usage, are made available from the NICNAS website.

The Australian Government recognises that there is a large number of unassessed chemicals on the inventory and NICNAS is working with stakeholders on the development of a framework to address the issue. This framework will provide a mechanism to more rapidly and comprehensively provide advice about the risks of industrial chemicals in use in Australia.

Enforcement of NICNAS recommendations occurs through state and territory legislation.

The Government has no plans at this time to make health impact statements a compulsory component of major projects under Com­monwealth legislation.