REPEATED calls to Premier Steven Marshall and Mining Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan urging the State Government to support a legislated moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in the South East have been unsuccessful, according to the region’s peak anti-fracking group.
The Limestone Coast Protection Alliance has sought meetings with the two State Government representatives to ensure a 10-moratorium will be made law, with chair Angus Ralton saying he was disappointed by the lack of a response.
“As the 10-year moratorium was a central policy to the election and we are the major stakeholders in the area and the most vocal, I do not understand how we are not able to get a response,” he
said.
“In the end, actions mean more than words and at the moment we only have words.
“The moratorium needs to be enshrined in legislation, otherwise it is a four year moratorium.
“You cannot have a 10 year ministerial government holding over a different government.
“It is ridiculous and everyone understands this – the premier understands this, the ministry understands this and the energy minister understands this.
“We believe we need to be treated with a little more respect than just the lip service we have received so far.”
Alliance representatives recently met with Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell to discuss amendments to the energy act, which the independent MP foreshadowed in the second sitting day of parliament.
Earlier this month, Greens MLC Mark Parnell introduced a matching bill into the upper house.
Mr Ralton said the meeting with Mr Bell to discuss the move to enshrine the ban in law had been productive and called on the Marshall Government to back the bills in parliament.
“We are really happy to work with him and make the legislative ban a reality,” he said.
“We are really hopeful the Liberal Party will get on board and back what they actually bought to the election as a central policy pledge.
“We are hopeful they will come around and see the community expects them to do this and not to be beholden to the big gas companies who do not want this to happen.”
