The coal seam gas licence freeze, announced by the minister for resources and energy Anthony Roberts in March this year, is a farce and an insult to the people of the northern rivers after the minister confirmed that many licence applications over the region continue to be processed.
Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham received a letter from the minister which confirms that the six-month freeze:
- Does not apply to Petroleum Special Prospecting Authority applications, even though this is a form of gas exploration;
- Does not apply to the processing of existing applications made before the freeze and as such NSW Trade & Investment continues to process the 7 Production, 13 Exploration and 6 Special Prospecting Authority licence applications they have received;
- Does not apply to the processing of licence renewals.
This freeze is clearly a farce, and was designed to placate the community during the heat of the Bentley Blockade.
It is an insult to the people of the northern rivers that despite a so-called freeze we still have production, exploration and prospecting licence applications for areas near Casino and Lismore being processed by the government.
The minister acknowledged in March this year that a comprehensive process for evaluating licence applications was needed, but the government has continued to process applications and renewals regardless.
This community will not accept invasive gasfields in the northern rivers and we will continue to protect our land and water from industrialised gas drilling.
Adam Guise, Greens candidate for Lismore
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