Last week, the Western Australian Government lifted its state-wide moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Unconventional gas industries were given the green light to develop on existing petroleum leases, especially in WA’s vast Kimberley region. Following the Northern Territory government’s April decision to lift its temporary fracking ban, this decision paves the way for future growth of the industry across much of northern Australia.
A Dalby feedlot operator has launched Federal Court action against the Queensland Gas Company, in a case that underscores ongoing tensions between landholders and coal seam gas companies over access to groundwater.
As a premier grain and cattle growing region with access to groundwater from the Great Artesian basin below, it is easy to see how an area of inland Queensland has developed to become the epicentre of Australia’s lot feeding industry. However, it is hard to see how the economically important industry can expand much further under a new groundwater allocation plan proposed by the Queensland Government.
Victoria will permanently ban the exploration and development of all onshore unconventional gas, including hydraulic fracturing or fracking, and coal seam gas, the State’s Government announced today.
A landholder representative group has welcomed the results of a new Government report that predicts the impact of the Coal Seam Gas industry on groundwater reserves in Southern Queensland through to 2065.
Disturbing new evidence indicates that a 14 year old underground coal gasification (UCG) project on Queensland’s western Darling Downs has caused serious human health effects and widespread, high impact and irreversible environmental impacts to prime agricultural land in the region.
Competing land use issues between mining and farming have been dominating the attentions of rural industry groups across three States in recent weeks.
Wandoan grazier Richard Golden shares his experience and insights from dealing with two different gas proponents at the same time developing over 100 gas wells on his family’s cattle property.
Anti-gas mining groups in Southern Queensland say a serious explosion at a water bore last week has highlighted why farmers and communities should remain concerned about coal seam gas, despite government and industry reassurances to the contrary.
70pc chance of El Nino; Hunt on for hay thieves; Milton Jones gets chopper license back; Wellard welcomes ChAFTA; AgForce tackles biosecurity concerns around CSG; New Qld mine law will affect billions of litres of groundwater; $30m drought loans for Victoria
