Australia's Victoria Tables Fracking Ban

The Victoria government in southeast Australia said November 22 has tabled legislation permanently to ban fracking before the state's parliament.

In a statement, it said the Resources Legislation Amendment (Fracking Ban) Bill 2016 will "permanently ban all onshore unconventional gas exploration and development, including hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) and coal seam gas" and extend a moratorium on conventional onshore gas exploration and development until end June 2020.

Victoria has existing conventional oil and gas production. However most of Australia's significant coalbed methane (or coal seam gas) is concentrated in Queensland in northeast Australia and will be unaffected; CBM is economically significant to Queensland as it feeds several LNG export plants there.

Victoria's Labour premier Daniel Andrews: “We promised to ban fracking and we’re getting it done – the livelihoods of thousands of Victorians and the reputation of their world-class produce depend on it.” He said farmers and regional communities had backed the government's frack ban proposal."

Victoria premier Daniel Andrews (Photo credit: Victoria state government)

Although unclear how soon such legislation might be enacted, broadcaster ABC reported that a Victoria unconventional tight gas producer, Lakes Oil, has already launched legal action in the Supreme Court of Victoria over the state government's move to introduce the ban, seeking a judicial review.

Mark Smedley