Victorian council votes for jobs and energy security
Media Release Victorian council votes for jobs and energy security
27 July 2017 LinkedInTweet
APPEA welcomes calls for a resumption in conventional gas exploration and production in Victoria.
APPEA Chief Executive Dr Malcolm Roberts said this week’s vote by the Moyne Shire Council in support of conventional gas development was significant.
“It’s encouraging to see a local council challenging Victoria’s moratorium on conventional gas,” Dr Roberts said.
“And it is probably no coincidence that Moyne is part of a region that has a history of safe and successful gas development, having hosted gas operations for some 20 years until 2006.
“Clearly, the Moyne council would not be calling for the removal of the moratorium if conventional gas development had produced any negative environmental outcomes.
“On the contrary, the council clearly sees the potential for gas development to provide local jobs and business opportunities as it has in other regional communities around Australia.
“Moyne’s commonsense approach confirms what the gas industry knows to be true – activist scare campaigns are more likely to succeed where there is no gas industry. That’s because it’s harder to create doubt and uncertainly when people can see the truth for themselves.”
Dr Roberts said the Victorian Government’s ban on all forms of onshore gas development was contributing to higher energy prices across eastern Australia.
“Families and businesses are paying more for natural gas than they should because the Victorian Government continues to ignore the science which says onshore gas is safe to develop,” he said.
“The Government should remove its politically motivated restrictions and assess each project on its merits.”
