Not enough known on CSG: expertsWater Commission lacks expertise to protect Great Artesian Basin
Media Release
Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Mines & Energy
Member for Callide 15 July, 2010
Water Commission lacks expertise to protect Great Artesian Basin
THE Bligh Labor government today all-but confirmed it lacked the technical expertise to monitor the impact of gas exploration and extraction on the Great Artesian Basin.
LNP mines and energy spokesman Jeff Seeney asked Minister Stephen Robertson in Estimates hearings at parliament about the real technical skills in the Queensland Water Commission – originally established to implement water restrictions in urban south-east Queensland, but now charged with monitoring the impact of mining and coal-seam gas exploration and extraction.
“How on earth can landholders have confidence there is expertise in the Queensland Water Commission to monitor water extractions in the Great Artesian Basin, when the commission was set-up to implement water restrictions in the urban south-east,” Mr Seeney asked.
Mr Seeney said the Minister’s answer that the Commission was “a lean body” was hardly likely to instil confidence.
“Landholders have been justifiably concerned that the Commission lacks the technical expertise to ensure that damage to the Great Artesian Basin was not being done to the long-term detriment of the environment and regional Queensland communities.”
Mr Seeney said the Minister’s comment that more money had been allocated to get the “necessary expertise” for the Commission was code the QWC lacked the full set of technical expertise to properly monitor what was happening in the current gas ‘Klondike’ across southern Queensland.
“It’s obvious the Minister and his government are not fair dinkum about protecting the Great Artesian Basin.
“That’s why they’ve recklessly left what essentially remains an urban water authority in charge of monitoring the massive gas drilling and extraction boom with all the associated impacts on groundwater and the Great Artesian Basin.”
Media contact: Jeff Seeney 0439 211 842