NSW Aboriginal Land Council should be congratulated : Letter to the Editor, Armidale Independent

Your newspaper has reported the reactions to an Exploration Permit by the NSW Aboriginal Land Council for Coal Seam Gas in the New England.

I would like to congratulate the Land Council for their initiative.

Coal Seam Gas has been extracted in the Camden region, south of Sydney, for nearly 16 years without any environmental problems. The gas wells are unobtrusive; had no impact on groundwater and co-exist on a dairy farm.

The Exploration process will require the permit holders to prepare a Review of Environmental Factors if the site(s) do not fall within the new Gateway planning process. Any progression to production will also require adherence to the Code of Practice for CSG. That includes more comprehensive community consultation and fairer land access arrangements.

I’d like to urge the Armidale community to treat the anti-CSG groups with some caution. From my experience as a member of the Legislative Council GPSC Committee into CSG, they have a propensity to be selective about their scientific claims; ignore the benefits of Gas as a low Green House Gas emitter; fail to acknowledge the regional development benefits; exaggerate environmental problems; dismiss its historical success in places like Camden; and ignore the State’s energy challenges.

This is not an either/or argument as Lock the Gate, Armidale Action on CSG, The Greens and others try to portray the issue.

I believe this could be an exciting development for our region. Gas is re-inventing energy dynamics around the world. The USA is on the cusp of becoming a net energy exporter. That is a having fundamental impact on world security and the United State’s economy.

I will continue to say, the New England and North West can accept a future as an economic backwater or be proactive and harness the energy opportunities.

Hon. Scot MacDonald MLC
Guyra NSW