The Queensland Greens have responded to the Queensland Auditor General’s report exposing serious deficiencies in the regulation of coal seam gas fracking companies by the Queensland government.
Greens MP Michael Berkman said:
“The government’s own auditors have found that Labor and LNP governments have failed to properly regulate the coal seam gas fracking companies.
“It’s totally shocking that after 25 years the regulators can’t even produce a list of all the fracking permits in Queensland.
“I spent years as a community lawyer helping farmers stop mining companies from trashing their land, water and the climate.
“During that time, I saw over and over that big companies can bully and lobby their way around the rules while farmers and traditional owners get shafted.
“Fracking is a nightmare for land, groundwater and climate pollution, and it should be banned.
“This report should immediately kybosh Labor’s plan to open up the fragile rivers of the Channel Country to fracking for shale gas.
“Origin, Santos, and other fracking companies are all major donors to Labor and the LNP, so I don’t hold out much hope.