MEMBER for the North Queensland seat of Mount Isa, Rob Katter, has called for an immediate moratorium on coal seam gas drilling in the wake of the Queensland Water Commission's report into the impact of CSG drilling in the Surat Basin.
Mr Katter, who is also the Qld leader of Katter's Australia Party, said the report found that bores on more than 500 farming properties would be affected, with some expected to drop by up to a metre in the next three years, he said.
"This report identifies that many hundreds of landholders will be affected by CSG mining," Mr Katter said.
"Yet all it recommends is a token gesture of increased monitoring."
However, this was far from what was required for the "unknown and rapidly expanding" industry, he said.
"We may well end up 'monitoring' what turns out to be the irreversible destruction of our water resources.
"That is why Katter's Australian Party continues to call for an immediate moratorium on coal seam gas drilling.
"The Australian Senate's own inquiry last year found that a moratorium was needed to ensure that flawed developments were not rushed ahead.
"The coal seam gas industry is almost entirely foreign owned and the profits are going to line the pockets of offshore investors and will not stay in Australia.
"While this occurs, our Aussie farmers are going to have their water quality and security destroyed."