VICTORIA is not ready to deal with onshore gas developments.
That’s why the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is urging the Victorian Government to extend the current moratorium on onshore gas until at least 2020.
In August the Victorian auditor general found that Victoria was not well placed to respond to the risks and impacts that could arise if the moratorium was lifted.
As the state’s peak farmer body we have to keep pushing and debating the future of this controversial form of mining. That’s why we’ve just formed a new Western Victorian Mining and Gas Taskforce.
It’s all about getting farmers together to share their concerns and get grass roots feedback.
The new taskforce complements the VFF’s existing Gippsland Taskforce, which has played a pivotal role in monitoring what mining activity is occurring and identifying the information needs of farmers and their communities.
The western taskforce will be chaired by Deans Marsh Livestock producer Alan Bowman, while Yarram livestock producer Bill Bodman will continue as chair of the Gippsland taskforce, which has now grown from five to seven members.
VFF land management chair Gerald Leach said Alan and Bill have been appointed to these positions given their knowledge of agri-political issues and experience in dealing with challenging issues affecting farmers.
Mining and gas policy was one of the most contentious and heavily debated issues at the VFF in 2015. At our VFF annual conference, our members unanimously backed a call for farmers to have the right-to-veto over mining and gas companies on their land. Our policy remains clear on maintaining the present moratorium on all onshore gas activities until at least 2020.
The VFF has real concerns around the environmental impacts, particularly on our groundwater resources.
We are now waiting the state government’s response to the inquiry and its gas policy, which is anticipated by June this year. It’s important that we continue to collect the views of our members as well as promote our policy to government.
The taskforces will not only deal with onshore gas but look at the full range of exploration and mining development issues that are taking place.
