25 August 2015, The Conversation, Time for the ‘green tape’ debate to mature: jobs and the environment are not implacable foes. The highly charged debate over the proposed Carmichael coal mine, which culminated in Attorney-General George Brandis’s decision last week to propose winding back environmental legal protections, has exposed the simmering tension between “jobs” and “the environment” on Australia’s political landscape. On one hand, those seeking to invest in the development of Australia’s natural resources and jobs growth have been making a clear case that Australia’s system of assessment and approval for major projects is riddled with procedural uncertainty. On the other, environmental advocates and local communities feel that the current system does not adequately protect the environment – correctly pointing out Australia’s less than stellar record in preventing species from going extinct. As a nation, however, we need to lift our game on both fronts. Investors in the Australian economy and those seeking jobs and growth need certainty with regard to where and how they invest. Equally, to avoid warfare (or “lawfare”) on a project-by-project basis, Australia’s environmental advocates and local communities need certainty too. They need clarity about where and how economic development can occur without harming our environmental heritage. Read More here
22 July 2015, The Guardian, Victorian farmers and green groups firm on CSG fracking ban as inquiry fires up. As parliamentary inquiry into ramifications of drilling gets under way, farmers fear state’s moratorium on coal seam gas may be lifted. Farmers and environmental groups have lined up against the oil and gas industry to oppose fracking of unconventional gas in Victoria, as a parliamentary inquiry into its potential benefits gets under way. A parliamentary committee began hearings in Melbourne on Wednesday morning into the economic, social and environmental ramifications of allowing Victoria to be opened up for gas drilling. Victoria has banned unconventional gas exploration, which includes coal seam gas and tight gas, since 2012. Since then, the expansion of coal seam gas in New South Wales and Queensland has sparked fierce protests from green groups and some local residents. In January, Victoria’s Labor government extended the ban until the committee handed down its findings. A review conducted by the former Coalition government recommended that regulations around fracking for gas be relaxed. Advocates for gas drilling claim Victoria would benefit financially and households would enjoy lower gas prices if supply were increased. Read More here