It is a shame that such gun slinging approached would be used by the NT government, especially when science suggests that fracturing has no impact to environment. But having said the below, this does bode well for central who are not required according to central needed to fracture any of their existing producing wells for some time and still able to meet any sales gas contracts.
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New Northern Territory Labor Leader Michael Gunner announced his moratorium on fracking will start on Wednesday and the ACT Greens, who share power in the territory said they want to ban the installation of new gas infrastructure in Canberra's new suburbs.
NT Labor went to the election pledging to slap a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, a technology used to extract unconventional gas, and to carry out another review of the science, engage in more community consultation and strengthen regulation.
Labor won the election in a landslide which saw the Country Labor Party and the Chief Minister Adam Giles booted from office and left with only two seats.
The hydraulic fracking ban came into place from Wednesday, Mr Gunner said as he released the terms of reference for a review which will determine the future of fracking in the territory.
"The options before us are what is the best decision for the Territory and it's either allowing fracking and highly regulated limited circumstances or banning it all together. The moratorium will exist while the independent expert panel does that work and provides us with recommendations to consider as a Cabinet," Mr Gunner said.
There will now be four weeks for public comment, at the end of which the government said they will announce a panel to conduct the review.
Mr Gunner said he hopes the "body of work" will be completed within this term and at a cost of $3 million.
"The moratorium on hydraulic fracturing of onshore unconventional reservoirs within the Northern Territory will remain in place until government has thoroughly considered the recommendations of the Inquiry," a government press release said.
Nationals Senator and federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan has said a blanket ban on fracking would amount to "an act of economic self-harm" while the ban has been blamed for a lack of customers signing up to use a new $800 million gas pipeline that will link the territory pipeline system to Queensland.
The ACT Greens who share power in a minority government arrangement with the incumbent Labor government, said they would push for the ACT to adopt a $15 million dollar plan to stop new gas infrastructure from being installed in new suburbs in Canberra.
The funds would go towards setting minimum standards for gas appliances and household incentives for the installation of renewables.
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