2016-11-22
Tuesday, 22nd November 2016
WA Greens MLC Robin Chapple said today that Western Australia should be looking to follow Victoria’s lead in banning unconventional onshore gas exploration and development after the March 2017 state election.
“In Victoria you had a Liberal government that introduced a moratorium and now a Labor government that has backed it up with an outright ban on all unconventional gas exploration and development, covering shale, tight and CSG plays,” Mr Chapple said.
“Meanwhile, WA is floundering under both a government and opposition that shy away from real leadership on an issue that has widespread public support.
“The Barnett government has failed to promote any real expansion of the onshore gas industry in the last 8 years, despite providing royalty rate reductions, removing environmental approvals for exploration and considering tenements in some of our state’s most beautiful, untouched National Parks.
“Furthermore, the Labor party have failed to capitalise on this apathy and continue to sit on the fence politically despite the public shouting for them to have a stronger position on the industry’s future.
“The WA Greens will continue to fight for a ban on the large scale introduction of these unnecessary practices in Western Australia, and to challenge the myth that gas is a clean transition fuel.
“Here in WA we have abundant renewable energy resources and significant technological and entrepreneurial capacities. The Greens will continue to fight to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and push for transition to new and prosperous industries in a clean energy economy.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews introduced the Resources Legislation Amendment (Fracking Ban) Bill 2016 into the Victorian Parliament this morning.
Media contact: Tim Oliver 0431 9696 25 // 08 9486 9965