THE federal Nationals failed to support their own plan to protect farmers and rural residents from coal seam gas mining development, said a local protest group.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Members of the Camden Haven Anti-Fracking Group, the local body opposing coal seam gas mining, expressed grave concerns regarding the Nationals’ commitment to deal with the issue.
Last week leader of the Nationals, Warren Truss, announced a “blueprint” for coal seam gas mining.
“The Nationals have adopted five core principles to guide coal seam gas development,” Mr Truss said.
“We need a comprehensive approach, one that protects not only the environment but the economic imperatives of regional Australia and the legitimate rights of landowners.”
The Nationals’ blue print states:
* no coal seam gas development can damage aquifers or water quality,
* no developments should occur on prime agricultural land,
* no developments should occur in close proximity to residential areas,
* landowners deserve a return, not just compensation, from a resource on their land, and
* real investment must be made back in the communities that generate our resource wealth.
Michelle Lopert from the Camden Haven Anti-Fracking Group (CHAFG) said their team looked forward to seeing the implementation of this plan.
They were disappointed when, just 72 hours later, the five National senators failed to show up to the chamber to vote on the Greens motion backing their first plan principle.
Australian Greens mining spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters said The Nationals had “sold out their constituents to the coal seam gas companies by lacking the courage to stand by those words in Parliament.”
The Greens motion was voted down by Labor and Liberal Senators.
“It seems that the Coalition is divided on this issue, and the Nationals are too afraid to stick up for their own policies,” Ms Waters said.
Members of CHAFG queried why the Nationals failed to support a bill that was in the interests of its constituents - rural communities and farmers.
“We wondered whether the failure of the Nationals to act in the national interest was due to party politics and not wanting to support anything tabled by the Greens,” Ms Lopert said.
“CHAFG expresses its disappointment at this action by the Nationals.
“Five minutes later, all five National Party Senators were back in the Senate Chamber voting down a motion to declare the Coral Sea a national marine park.”
Nationals Senator Fiona Nash said the party is “firmly committed to ensuring that coal seam gas developments do not damage the environment.”
“The Greens are playing games, ‘cherry-picking’ just one of our core principles for a notice in the Senate,” Ms Nash told the Camden Haven Courier.
“All five principles are needed in concert. The Greens’ notice of motion had no legislative impact, it was simply a political stunt.
“If the Greens were serious about getting action they could threaten to withdraw their support from the Labor minority government (which has shown no leadership on the CSG issue), something they do not seem prepared to do.
“We did not support this stunt because we are interested in getting a proper outcome. The environment needs to be protected but so do the economic development imperatives of regional Australia and the community impacts of these developments. Playing political games will not balance the environmental, economic and social issues inherent in the coal seam gas debate.
“The Nationals are focused on real action and workable solutions. We are doing this through the current Senate inquiry, which the Nationals initiated, and through a paper on policy options that we will release shortly.
“The Liberals support the Nationals approach. We are now consulting with all sections of the community about how the principles can be turned into specific policy options.”
Independent Lyne MP Rob Oakeshott said the National Party’s absence during a Senate vote on its own coal-seam gas policy is inexplicable.
“The community has every right to ask how serious is the National Party on resolving the land management conflict between farmers and miners when they couldn’t be bothered to even turn up to vote for their own policy.
“Actions certainly speak louder than words in politics, and the Nationals’ absence in Parliament is not lost on the communities of the Manning Valley, the Camden Haven and the Gloucester Basin.”
