MEMBER for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead will hold a meeting in Taree next month to explain his own and his government's stance on coal seam gas mining.
The Nationals' local member reacted yesterday to criticism that he did not attend the recent anti-fracking rally held on the Taree riverbank, stressing he was "not an advocate for the mining industry", and that he was willing to face the public and explain his personal and his party's actions "in full".
He has invited concerned members of the public to attend Club Taree between 5.30 and 6.30pm on Tuesday, September 20, "where I'll be advising everyone of my feelings on the issue".
"Anyone with concerns can come along," he added.
"I live in this area and my family has been raised in this area. I still have a couple of kids living in this area.
"I drink the water and I bathe in the water, and I, like everyone else, am concerned that we all continue to do so safely.
"But mining has been happening in New South Wales for 200 years, and everyone has benefited from the resource through companies like BHP and others.
"If mining has to be done, it has to be done safely, and that is what the State government is now doing."
Mr Bromhead said the Liberal-Nationals government when it took office in March was "left with the mess" of the previous Labor government and had acted quickly in trying to "pick up the pieces", particularly with regard to coal seam gas mining.
"I am part of the government left with the mess and we're working at a hundred miles an hour to put controls in place in regard to coal seam gas exploration and particularly the practice of fracking," he said.
"We want to ensure that we put as many scientific obstacles in the way of coal seam gas mining that we can."
Mr Bromhead was commenting yesterday on criticism by a Manning River Times reader K Byrne of Wallabi Point, who via our website said it was "disappointing to note" that Mr Bromhead had not attended the community forum on the Taree riverbank on Saturday August 6 arranged by the Manning Cleanwater Action Group (see story this page).
Ms Byrne said Mr Bromhead represented a party whose main membership is made up of primary producers and country landholders ? the people most affected by the spread of coal seam gas mining and exploration.
"(He) is silent on this coal seam gas mining issue, even though it is these members who are going to be the ones most heavily affected by it," she said.
Mr Bromhead responded, saying "Not one coal seam gas exploration licence has been granted by the O'Farrell government, and not one extraction has been granted or extended by the O'Farrell government. Every exploration licence that exists in New South Wales was granted by Labor prior to the election.
"Often this was for exorbitant fees, and some were at five minutes to midnight before the election.
"We went to the election with a strategic land use policy, and Labor didn't have any policy."
The Liberal-Nationals' government had been quick to act since taking office, he said.
"First, we put a moratorium on coal seam gas exploration licences and on fracking, after listening to the concerns of the people.
"We have extended that moratorium until December 31 to allow us more time to formulate a policy and set regulations in place. If the need arises, we will extend that moratorium further.
"We have already banned evaporation ponds and banned the use of BTEC chemicals used in the fracking process.
"We have already made sure that coal seam gas mining applications are displayed for public comment, and we are reviewing fracking standards and access arrangements.
"We have decided that any future exploration licences will require public consultation.
"Firstly, we are saying there has to be a strategic land use policy put in place before we grant any extraction licence.
"We are saying they have to do aquifer and water interference studies, and that they are to be monitored by the relevant State government department.
"Further, there has to be an agricultural land use study done, then there has to be a community impact statement done, and there has to be community consultation.
"If they get through all these hurdles dealing just with exploration, then we may look at extraction, and similarly there will be many hurdles to be overcome before any extraction might be approved.
"For extraction, there will have to be a development application, there will have to be community consultation, and it will have to be in a regional area we have identified as potentially suitable for coal seam gas mining.
"An Environmental Impact Statement will be needed at that point.
"We have looked at what is happening in other states and in other countries and we are determined not to make the same mistakes they have.
"We are listening to the concerns of the people and putting all this in place," Mr Bromhead said.
"This government ? and certainly me as the local member ? are not advocates for mining," he stressed again.
"If these mining companies can't prove that they are not harming us and the environment, then they won't be going ahead.
"If they do get approval granted, it may be two to three years before any work could start."
Mr Bromhead said he is aware that three extraction licences were approved in the Gloucester area by the previous Labor government "at five minutes to midnight" before the election.
"But we have now put the moratorium on fracking, and if they want to extract water, they've got to apply for a water access licence, and that's another hoop for them to go through."
Email a friend