As a Queensland beef producer with coal seam gas mining currently co-existing with our organically certified farm, my reaction while reading the NSW Government's Future of Gas statement was one of concern.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
I looked through the statement, published in late July, for clear details on how landowners could ensure their rights and land were going to be protected, but saw none.
The government's plan focuses on enabling and providing certainty for the economic growth of gas companies and businesses - in this case, largely Santos' Narrabri project - which rely on outdated energy sources to power industrial and chemical processes.
I can provide a reality check regarding the system in Queensland, where the legislation ensures the balance of power rests firmly with the fossil fuel miners.
Currently, we are struggling with outstanding workplace health and safety, biosecurity and land condition issues on our farm, where there are also moves in Queensland to further penalise primary producers for not meeting environmental outcomes.
Our concern is we could be held accountable for poor land condition that is due to disturbance of the ground, caused by the gas companies.
We have land on our farm that has gone from premium condition to eroded and unproductive, through no fault of our own. Healthy ground cover is imperative to keeping our soils productive and business thriving.
Independent baseline assessments have also shown weeds are now being found on our property, which were not there prior to gas mining traffic driving across our land.
I understand life in agriculture comes with so many variables out of your control, but when a gas company is operating on your farm the situation becomes extremely complex.
We are challenged to trust that hundreds of individuals who enter our property will abide by the conditions of entry or be held accountable.
And unfortunately, in our experience, there have been times where commercial decisions were made to significantly breach the agreed conditions of access.
The negative impacts from gas mining on our farm resulted in us having to pour significant time and resources into managing these unforeseen challenges, only to learn that under current legislation neither the Ombudsman nor government departments can force gas companies to take action to address outstanding issues.
I would call on both the NSW and Queensland governments to consider if the risks from coal seam gas mining far outweigh the rewards, then farmers should have the right to say no.
Brigid Price is a Queensland beef farmer.