IT’S A great achievement when both sides of politics come together to support Victorian farmers. It’s rare, but it happens. And that’s what we saw this week when the Victorian Labor government and Liberal-National opposition banded together to support the government’s Resources Legislation Amendment (Fracking Ban) Bill 2016.
The legislation will lead to a permanent ban on the exploration and development of all onshore unconventional gas in Victoria, and a five-year extension of a ban on conventional onshore gas development.
For farmers, this provides us with some certainly in government process and assessment of future gas exploration.
This is welcome news because the impacts of onshore gas mining on our aquifers are still unknown.
The Victorian Farmers Federation has lobbied passionately to convince the government to conduct extensive research into the possible side effects of onshore gas mining before relaxing its moratorium.
Research is vital, because we still don’t have answers on many important issues relating to onshore gas exploration. We need to be confident that we will be protecting our vital groundwater reserves.
The onshore gas debate in Victoria has been a source of ongoing conflict between politicians, farmers, industry and other special interest groups, mainly because the issue is fraught with confusion over the differences between unconventional and conventional gas exploration.
Unconventional gas refers to an underground source of natural gas found in the layers of three types of rock structures (coal seams, tight rocks and shale rocks), which may be extracted by high pressure pumping of water, sand and sometimes chemicals into these structures to release the gas.
Conventional gas is an easier process that involves drilling directly into gas trapped in porous rocks.
Regardless, the bottom line is Victoria has precious groundwater reserves.
Without hard scientific evidence that show the risks of onshore gas development can be properly managed, those reserves shouldn’t be put at risk.
Agriculture is a vital resource in Victoria, considering we are the nation’s biggest food and fibre exporter ($11.9 billion in 2015-16).
So it’s a relief to know that both sides of politics recognise the importance of agriculture to our state’s future.
David Jochinke, VFF president
