HUNDREDS of people are providing their opinion on the gas extraction industry in southern Victoria, according to the facilitators of government forums that began last week.
Public information forums were held in Warragul, Sale, Bairnsdale and Yarram. This week, forums will be held at Inverloch (Tuesday) and Mirboo North (Wednesday), with forums in south-west Victoria beginning today (Thursday) at Torquay and going into next week – Casterton (Tuesday), Terang (Wednesday) and Colac (Thursday).
Each forum is attracting at least 100 people at each session, according to lead convener Mick Maguire.
Mr Maguire's team is also meeting with key stakeholders in each district, including shire councils, industry and protest groups.
"The forums are an opportunity for ordinary people to give us their viewpoints," Mr Maguire said.
"The forums are designed for people to arrive at any time during the afternoon and join a discussion group, where they can raise questions and concerns about natural gas exploration and mining. This is a genuine consultation.
"The government is listening to the community in these forums.
"We want to know what are the key issues and concerns of people in these communities?
"What are the drivers for their issues and concerns?"
The forums include group and individual sessions with the independent facilitators and opportunity to ask questions of geologist, hydro-geologist and a regulator.
"We've been hearing concerns about water contamination, impact of onshore gas exploration on property values and we've heard from people who are seeking knowledge," Mr Maguire said.
"People also have public health concerns – including stress and mental health and physical ailments.
"About 10 per cent of attendees support the industry. There's no doubt this is an issue of concern that is polarising rural communities."
Among attendees at Bairnsdale, commercial sheep and wool growers David and Lynn Yates, of Forge Creek, were against onshore gas exploration.
"We're against onshore gas exploration and mining," they told Stock & Land.
"We're concerned about the water contamination and using water.
"If the water is contaminated we'll have to farm elsewhere.
"We're also concerned about future farming impacts," Mr Yates said.
"And about tourism and the impact on the Gippsland Lakes, which is a major tourist draw card in this region."
"Nothing is 100pc guaranteed," said Mrs Yates.
"I think the risk, no matter how small, is too high. We have to start looking after our agricultural land."
For others, mental and physical health and social impacts were of concern.
"I don't think the science shows this is a good idea," said Lincoln Fowler of Wy Yung, a local health worker.
"We need to have more independent scientific research."
Mr Maguire will collate the results of the consultations into themes and return to the community for a second round of consultations with key stakeholders later this year, before tabling a final report to the Victorian Government on March 31, next year.
"The second round of consultations will not be open to the public," Mr Maguire said.
"Twenty workshops will explore the themes further with key participants. I will determine who comes to those workshops."
