Fracking policy weaker in practice than election commitment: Greens

Wednesday, 6 September

The WA Greens have labelled the Government’s policy announcement on fracking yesterday as weak and a far cry from the rock solid commitment offered before the March election.

Mines and Petroleum Spokesperson Robin Chapple MLC said the Government’s position had been significantly watered down in practice, and that any policy measure implemented by regulation would never be permanent.

“Communities in the South West who’ve been waiting for Labor to follow through with their commitment to ban fracking should be concerned; an unlegislated ban can be removed at the stroke of a pen, such as straight after Labor lose an election,” Mr Chapple said.

“What is needed, and what we have been hoping for from this Government, is a legislated ban that would need the support of both houses of Parliament to be overturned.

“It also still concerns me greatly that Labor have only extended the commitment to the South West, ignoring the other significant areas of our beautiful state that are under much more immediate threat from the industry.

“Regardless of who is in Government, the outcomes for communities in the North of our state are always less than the outcomes for communities closer to Perth. I call on the Government to articulate why only a partial ban will be implemented for the South-West, Peel and Perth regions.

“I would also ask the state Government whether they will honour the gas field-free declarations of communities and Traditional Owners, regardless of the outcomes of the Enquiry, and to release the terms of reference as soon as possible.”

Media contact: Tim Oliver 0431 9696 25

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