Coexistence 2.0 – maturing the coexistence model in Queensland
Jon Thomas A *A GasFields Commission Queensland, PO Box 15266, City East, Qld 4002, Australia.
The APPEA Journal 62 S76-S80 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ21098
Accepted: 15 March 2022 Published: 13 May 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of APPEA.
Abstract
For the gas industry to continue to thrive in a changing world, the evolution of coexistence will need to consider the multi-faceted aspects of community expectations such as the environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, community expectations of a decarbonised energy future, technological advancements and changing government regulations. This paper does not define coexistence, rather it examines how the concept of coexistence in Queensland is a process of evolution as the gas industry in Queensland has matured from the perspective of the GasFields Commission Queensland (the Commission). The Commission was officially established in 2013 to ‘manage and improve the sustainable coexistence of landholders, regional communities and the onshore gas industry in Queensland’. There is no single means to obtain a good practice of coexistence. It requires a tailored approach dependant on the individual stakeholder, and will require the use of multiple tools, consistent engagement, transparent communication and a fit-for-purpose regulatory framework. Importantly, coexistence is a concept that requires a shared responsibility and is an enduring relationship.
Keywords: coal seam gas, coexistence, communication, CSG, effective regulation, efficient regulations regulatory frameworks, engagement, gas, GasFields Commission, host communities, landholders, regional communities, shared landscapes.
Jon Thomas is currently the Director of Policy and Projects at the GasFields Commission Queensland and has a combination of private and public sector experience in a career spanning 25 years across the resources industry. For the past 6 years Jon has worked with the Queensland Government as a regulator, policy maker and in facilitations roles interfacing with the petroleum and gas industry. Over the past 12 months, working with the GasFields Commission, Jon has developed keen interest in the coexistence of the gas industry, the agriculture sector and regional communities in Queensland. More broadly Jon’s experience includes general management positions in consulting, construction and quarrying, and degree qualified in engineering in Mineral Resource Management with post graduate business qualifications. |
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