Community decries government 'arrogance' over fracking bill

Anti-fracking protesters at a country cabinet meeting in Mount Gambier last night. (ABC South East SA: Sam Bradbrook) Producers in SA's South East have voiced their disagreement with a state government proposal to lift a local fracking ban. Fracking has been banned in the region under a 10-year moratorium, due to end in 2028, but the government wants it lifted early. The proposal will go to the state parliament, where it will need the support of the Liberals, One Nation or the Greens. Link copiedShareShare articleProducers in South Australia's South East say they are stunned and hurt by a state government proposal to lift a ban on fracking in the region two years before it was due to expire. The government yesterday announced it would table a bill in parliament to bring an early end to the 10-year moratorium, put in place in 2018. The proposal, which came while the state cabinet was in Mount Gambier to talk to locals, has been met with outrage and anger. Grape grower Peter Balnaves has been concerned about the potential impacts of fracking for many years, with his property located less than 20 kilometres from the region's only gas plant. Coonawarra grape grower Peter Balnaves is disappointed at the government's proposal. (ABC News: Guido Salazar) He said the government was showing "arrogance" and accused it of ignoring the views of locals. "What the Malinauskas government is doing with this arrogant proposal of removing this moratorium is potentially risking two things," he said. "Firstly, it's risking the social licence that industries operate under as being clean and green. "Secondly, and probably most importantly, it's got the potential to change water balances, change water quality. John Hill, Brett Mashado and Morry Mashado were among the crowd protesting against the proposal. (ABC South East SA: Samuel O'Brien) More than 200 people attended a community forum in Mount Gambier held by the state cabinet, with many bringing signs voicing their displeasure at the proposal. Mount Gambier local Brett Mashado said he was disappointed with the decision. "I thought we moved on from this. I thought renewable energy was really taking the forefront with the Labor government," he said. "Gas is on the back burner, I think. It's not competitive with renewable energy; it's tied to the international market. "What are we getting [fracking] here for, just to export?" Anastasia Marsden was among the protesters at the country cabinet forum. (ABC South East SA: Samuel O'Brien) Anastasia Marsden attended the country cabinet forum last night and said she was horrified by the decision. "It kind of came out of the blue because, really, we should have another two years before we have to address this," she said. "This comes completely against the things [the government] has been saying. "Regardless of how strong the community opinion is against it … I'm not confident that the government will listen to us." Anti-fracking protesters before the SA government country cabinet meeting in Mount Gambier on November 2015. (ABC News: Elise Fantin) The fracking moratorium followed a multi-year effort by local producers, who lobbied for the ban in a major agricultural area of the state. Kalangadoo farmer David Smith put together a film before the moratorium came in, after speaking with more than 30 experts in the United States about the issue. Mr Smith recently screened the film in preparation for the moratorium's expected end in 2028, and said he was stunned that the government would want to bring that date forward. Kalangadoo farmer David Smith was part of the initial push to ban fracking. (ABC News: Danielle Grindlay) "It should not happen where there's underground water, where there's populations of people or where there's livestock." The underground water, which is held in aquifers that feed the region's agricultural sectors, is a key area of concern. "We're not able to pump rainwater down a bore, yet they're proposing that mining companies can pump fracking fluids down to get this to happen," Mr Balnaves said. Fracking is used in other parts of South Australia, and across the country. (ABC News: Hamish Harty) Despite local opposition, the government has pointed to projections of a looming shortfall in the South East natural gas market as part of its reasoning. "Gas is an incredibly important commodity for the decarbonisation of our economy," Premier Peter Malinauskas said. "We should be facilitating this exploration in a way that is environmentally appropriate." Peter Malinauskas spoke about lifting the ban in Mount Gambier yesterday. (ABC South East SA: Elsie Adamo) The South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy has welcomed the government's announcement on behalf of mining companies working in the state. "South Australia has world-class environmental safeguards, and allowing those safeguards to operate rather than impose blanket bans is the right path," chief executive Catherine Mooney said. "

Community decries government 'arrogance' over fracking bill

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