nsw govt hints at coal seam gas incentives, page-4

NSW wants to follow Qld's CSG lead
Nathan Paull October 09, 2012 1:26PM
The Australian

http://m.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/nsw-wants-to-follow-qlds-csg-lead/story-fn3dxiwe-1226492029156

THE NSW government is hoping to jump on the back of Queensland's coal seam gas (CSG) boom by increasing its investment in the controversial industry.

NSW Resources Minister Chris Hartcher has told a CSG conference in Brisbane on Tuesday the state is a "little brother" to its northern neighbour in terms of CSG development. Mr Hartcher says Queensland's CSG industry employs 18,500 people, while NSW's only employs 232.

"So NSW clearly has a long way to go if it's going to successfully and responsibly develop its coal seam gas industry," he told the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association conference. Mr Hartcher said a recent industry report indicated CSG would be "game-changing" for the state and the government would push ahead with developing the industry after finalising its strategic land use policy.

His Queensland counterpart Andrew Cripps announced a competitive bidding process for companies to explore resource tenements in the state as its latest measure to help develop the industry. Mr Cripps said it would prevent exploration permits being acquired to be "warehoused" and on-sold to international buyers.

APPEA CEO David Byers told the conference Australia had to seize its opportunity to be a world-leader in the industry before other countries caught up. "It is not crying wolf to assert that this country is now in danger of losing its competitive edge," he said. All speakers agreed gaining a "social licence" from communities was the industry's toughest challenge. Mr Hartcher accused the "green movement" of distorting facts about the industry's safety for its own political benefit.

But Lock the Gate Alliance president Drew Hutton returned fire outside the conference in front of a 100-strong crowd of anti-CSG protesters. Mr Hutton accused federal and state governments of trying to convince protesters that their health concerns about CSG drilling were unfounded. "(They're) a bunch of psychopaths simply trying to persuade us that we're crazy," he told the raucous crowd. At least 10 police officers stood guard in and outside the conference.