Nats paved way for a Govt refund

Whatever it is, it's a refund not compensation. Political wimps saving face ...
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Nat's gas shift causes coalition rift
June 11, 2015 9:09pm
Exclusive Miles GodfreyThe Daily Telegraph

DEPUTY Premier and Nationals leader Troy Grant has split the Baird government by calling for coal-seam gas mining to be banned in the state’s north, which would damage the NSW economy and cost taxpayers up to $140 million.

Mr Grant’s call to block CSG mining in the Northern Rivers follows the Nats’ disastrous performance in the March state election, when they lost the previously safe Ballina seat to the Greens.

The party only narrowly retained the safe seat of Lismore after a similar challenge from the Greens and had to fend off a strong fight from Labor in Tweed.

“I support the views of regional communities and it has been made very clear that the Northern Rivers community does not want CSG,” Mr Grant said ahead of today’s NSW Nationals conference, where party members are expected to consider a formal policy banning CSG from the region on Saturday.


Art: Daily Telegraph
Gas miner Metgasco has invested $140 million developing three CSG exploration licences in the Lismore and Clarence electorates and would demand compensation if a ban is put in place.


Petroleum Exploration Licences 13 and 16, west of Lismore, and PEL 426, around Grafton, are said to contain enough gas to supply most of NSW for three years and could dramatically increase the amount of affordable gas available to households.

Metgasco CEO Peter Henderson tore into the Nationals and accused them of caving to fanatical “far-Left Greens” in the Northern Rivers.

“There’s a small group of people who are anti-fossil fuel, anti-development — the far-Left Greens — and it’s become almost a religion with them,” he said.

CSG: HOW LEFT-WING GROUPS ARE CLOSING AUSTRALIA TO BUSINESS

He also warned that any blanket ban on CSG in the area would trigger huge compensation claims and smash business confidence.

Premier Mike Baird refused to say yesterday if Mr Grant had lobbied him to support a complete ban on CSG in the Northern Rivers and declined to say whether he would support any such controversial move.

“NSW has the toughest CSG standards in the country, delivering world’s best practice regulation,” he said.

An 18-month study by the state’s Chief Scientist concluded that CSG extraction was safe and that any risks associated with its extraction methods could be managed.