The Northern Territory's environment minister Peter Chandler has called for a government inquiry into the use of “fracking” in the oil and gas industry. Currently 90% of the NT is targeted for shale gas exploration.
An anti-fracking group says an independent inquiry into fracking in the NT is needed, but must be accompanied by an immediate moratorium on the controversial practice.
Emma Murphy from Don't Frack the Territory said: "We're happy that Chandler is hearing the community's concerns about the risks of horizontal fracking. We have been calling for a broad-reaching, independent inquiry for over a year. But he should be calling for an immediate halt to the practice until the science is in and we can have evidence-based policy."
Don't Frack the Territory has been running a petition calling on the NT government to urgently put a moratorium on the exploration and extraction of shale gas, which requires horizontal hydraulic fracturing.
The petition calls for an independent scientific inquiry into the impacts of fracking, but Don't Frack the Territory is also calling for reservations to be placed over sensitive environmental areas, culturally significant areas, water catchments, residential areas, and food-producing land.
Murphy said: "If the government is really committed to a rigorous inquiry that puts all the facts on the table, we believe there should be a moratorium on fracking until the inquiry informs the community and the government on how this new industry should be regulated in the NT — and indeed whether a shale gas industry is even compatible with fragile Territory ecosystems.
"There are many unanswered questions about shale gas fracking in the NT: how will toxic wastewater be stored during monsoonal floods, to prevent contamination? What will large-scale gasfields mean for annual fire management practices? What rights will pastoralists, traditional owners and other landholders have with regard to gas companies' right of access? How will rigorous environmental oversight be ensured given the remoteness of many of the exploration areas?
"As minister for the environment, Chandler needs to establish an inquiry that is independent, transparent and puts environment and community needs front and centre — not one that is simply designed to smooth the way for a massive onshore shale gas industry."
