NSW Farmers’ strong reaction last week to the O’Farrell Government’s plan to manage mining and coal seam gas exploration in this State should not have come as a shock to anyone in the Coalition. We have been clear about our expectations from this process right from when our negotiations with the Coalition and other stakeholders began in 2009. Despite its election commitments, this Government is proposing to continue to allow potentially damaging activities to take place under the guise of “exploration’ – that may permanently damage this State’s precious water and land resources.
What we take issue with is the assertion that gas prices will triple without a coal seam gas industry in NSW. This assumes a binary choice between CSG and agriculture, which is not being debated. We are arguing for an appropriate balance, not prohibition of the industry. Aside from that, to my knowledge, no one has modelled what would happen to food prices if we chose a future in NSW without agriculture. I know, my family spends a great deal more on groceries each week than electricity!
While the Coalition promised certainty for industry, we have no clarity around where mining and coal seam gas activities will and will not occur. This has paved the way for decades of continued uncertainty for our food and fibre producers.
Matt Brand,
CEO NSW Farmers
