Farmers, Greens oppose LNG

FARMING and green groups are lining up to oppose the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry's rapid expansion.

Queensland Farmers' Federation chief executive Dan Galligan said the rapid expansion of the gas industry was outpacing the science and planning.

“Farmers don't want to stand in the way of development that will support a diverse regional economy,” Mr Galligan said. “But they remain very concerned about the fractional planning progress surrounding coal seam gas, and the myriad of scientific risks that remain under debate.”

Mr Galligan said the federation was working with the State Government to develop a fair policy for protecting strategic cropping land in Queensland.

“The policy around dealing with the cumulative impacts of these vast projects is plodding along in the background, completely out-paced and out of step with development,” he said.

“But once again the approvals process and the rapid push for wealth creation are racing ahead of any cautious approach.”

Capricorn Conservation Council (CCC) said it was disappointed by the decision of Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke to approve the two large LNG projects.

CCC spokesman Michael McCabe said the LNG industry proposals could permanently harm the environment and included many uncertainties, such as: CSG extraction releasing huge volumes of salty underground water; potential to contaminate groundwater supplies and valuable agricultural land; depletion of the groundwater resources threatening the Great Artesian Basin; and disruption to food production and agricultural land from vast networks of bores, pipelines and roads.

Before the approvals were made, AgForce president Brent Finlay called for a moratorium on all CSG activities until a framework was developed to eliminate negative environmental impacts.