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Category: Oil and Gas / Parliament / State Parliament / Rural / Sustainable and Alternative Farming

Victorian fracking ban protects agriculture's future, farmers say

Wednesday, 8 Mar 2017 04:46:29 | Peter Lusted

The ban guarantees the integrity of aquifers, Mr Jochinke said. (ABC News)

A decision to make Victoria the first state in Australia with a ban on fracking will ensure the agriculture sector has a prosperous future, farmers say.

The legislation, which passed Parliament on Tuesday, put a permanent ban on onshore unconventional gas exploration methods, including coal seam gas and fracking.

But offshore gas exploration will continue.

The legislation also extended the moratorium on conventional onshore gas exploration to June 30, 2020.

The Government said it would use the moratorium extension to learn more about the impact of conventional gas exploration.

Victorian Farmers Federation president David Jochinke said the decision was a vote for the future of farming.

"The ban on fracking means that the integrity of aquifers underneath farmland is protected," he said.

"The aquifers are vital to agriculture not only for irrigation's sake but for the stock water that's used above ground.

"Fracking undermines some of the integrity within those water sources and we're trying to protect it."

What is fracking?

  • Fracking is used to extract gases, such as coal seam, tight and shale gas by pumping high-pressure water and chemicals into rock, fracturing it to release trapped gasses
  • There are concerns the chemicals could contaminate groundwater supplies and threaten agricultural industries

He said the move would ensure better use of farming land.

"The water is a lot more valuable because it's a resource that can be there for generations, whereas the gas extraction is only a one-off opportunity to extract," Mr Jochinke said.

He said it was particularly good news for farmers in Victoria's south-east and south-west.

"We're talking cattle, grazing for livestock just for general water, we're talking irrigation for dairy and horticulture," he said.

Australia's oil and gas industry has warned of price hikes and a looming gas shortage if more states followed Victoria's lead and banned coal seam gas exploration and extraction.

AustraliaPlus


 

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