13th Feb 2014, 12:23 PM – Senate Motions - Coal Seam Gas - Landholders' right to refuse

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Larissa Waters. This means that the motion is rejected.

The motion was:

That the Senate-

(a) notes:

(i) the concern of communities in South Australia and Western Australia about their land and water being threatened by shale and other unconventional gas mining,(See, for example, this article on community concerns about fracking in South Australia. )

(ii) that landholders lack the legal right to refuse shale and other unconventional gas mining on their land, and

(iii) the scientific uncertainty surrounding the environmental and health implications of hydraulic fracturing (' fracking') for shale and other unconventional gas mining; and(Read more about fracking here.)

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

(i) ban the use of fracking by the unconventional gas industry across Australia, and

(ii) support the Australian Greens' bill to give landholders the legal right to refuse shale and other unconventional gas mining on their land.