ROBE Mayor Peter Riseley has welcomed the impending legislated ban on fracking for gas in the South East for the next 10 years.
The State Government has supported the bill from parliamentarian Troy Bell and Mr Riseley has commended the actions of the independent member for Mount Gambier, describing passage of the legislation as a significant achievement.
In his monthly report to council, Mr Riseley said Greens MLC Mark Parnell had presented a similar bill in the upper house recently and it was defeated.
“While the legislated ban is a most important outcome, the risk from conventional drilling still exists,” Mr Riseley said.
“Pro-gas supporters preach about the safety record in the Cooper Basin and that fracking has been used for years.
“However, they fail to explain about the advances in pumping pressures and volumes that contribute to greater risks now than ever technologically-feasible before.
“High-pressure and high-volume slick oil fracturing has only been around for a short time.
“The South East is a high value, large supplier of premium food to a starving world.
“As climate change becomes more and more evident, food supply from the Limestone Coast will be more and more valuable and more important in feeding a hungry world.
“Farm land and water are paramount to achieving these goals and must be protected at all costs.”
