PROTECTION FOR OUR SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIES

Friday, 27 January 2012

I welcome Minister Tony Burke’s announcement on the establishment of the interim Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and large coal mining applications.

The Committee is part of a new science-based framework announced by the Gillard Government in November last year, to provide more certainty for regional communities around coal seam gas and large coal mining developments, jobs and investment and the protection of water resources.

The Government is investing $150 million to establish the new Independent Expert Scientific Committee that will provide scientific advice to governments and relevant coal seam gas and large coal mining projects; and commission and fund water resource assessment for priority regions.

Our sustainable industries like viticulture, agriculture and thoroughbred breeding are too important to be put at risk by mining approvals which are not made with all the scientific certainty required to protect them.

The experts who have been appointed are unquestionable well placed to provide the expert, independent advice governments will need to arrive at the right decisions on these issues.

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