Land access: past conflict to future harmony
Duncan FraserVice-President, National Farmers’ Federation
The APPEA Journal 52(3) - https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ11135
Published: 30 June 2012
Abstract
The development of the CSG industry in Australia is not recent, having been in Queensland for about 15–20 years. However, development to date has resulted in varying degrees of conflict with private landholders. Conflict continues to arise from some poorly informed CSG companies that are disrespectful to private landholders and regional communities. This has rightly resulted in the loss of the CSG industry social licence; moreover, this is spilling into the mining industry.
The major issues for agriculture:
An independent scientific reassurance that water quantity and quality will be protected and that groundwater aquifer integrity is assured.
Landholder access agreements are negotiated to fully realise the benefits and opportunities for both parties.
Transparency is required in the use CSG fracking chemicals and the volume of water co-produced.
Well integrity is assured.
Fracturing is undertaken in a safe manner and without impacting on the environment and landholders.
Landholders, their neighbours and regional communities are treated respectfully.
Good communication exists between landholders and the company (including any subsidiary companies and contractors).
There is some light. A balance can and must be found. Some companies are changing their behaviour to be respectful of and work with landholders and communities. This will result in the opportunities for agriculture, regional communities and the CSG industry to be realised. Unfortunately, the behaviour of some in the CSG industry poses a threat to this future harmony.
Duncan Fraser is Vice President of National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), and owns and manages ‘Narringa’—a 9,750 ha pastoral and irrigation property near Hay in the western Riverina. The family farm, run by Duncan, his wife Louise and their two children, produces wool, sheep meat, rice and wheat. Duncan holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics from the University of New England and has long been involved in agricultural advocacy and lobbying. His role as an agricultural representative began 27 years ago, when he was elected president and secretary of the Hay branch of the LGPA, the precursor to the NSW Farmers’ Association. Since that time he held many executive positions in the association, including places on the general council and committees for wool, sheepmeat, meat and livestock, education, workplace relations, and conservation and resource management. He was the chair of Farmsafe NSW from 1999 to 2000 and the Vice President of the NSW Farmers’ Association from 2001 to 2003. In November 2010, Duncan was elected Vice-President of the NFF, where he is also Chair of the NFF Mining and Coal Seam Gas Taskforce. |
