A QUEENSLAND cabinet minister has attacked coal-seam gas companies for failing to explain themselves and "burning their community capital".
Environment Minister Vicky Darling said this "dangerous approach" was putting at risk community faith in government regulation of the industry.
Landowners needed to feel involved rather than believing CSG companies had to be "dragged into compliance", she told a conference on the industry in Brisbane.
"Too often companies look to government to solve their problems and to defend and promote their environmental performance," Ms Darling told the 400-strong meeting of industry leaders from Australia and overseas. "And too often companies tell the community it is the government's role to provide transparency and information, when there is much companies themselves could do.
"Through poor dealings with the community and a sometimes hands-off approach to explaining how the environment is protected and the law upheld, companies are burning their community capital."
Ms Darling spoke out as the Northern Territory government was called on by a key indigenous land council to freeze CSG exploration, amid criticism that regulation amounted to a "tick and flick" exercise.
The Austalian
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