Dear Yanchep News Online,
THIS is to let your readers know WA Labor is due to vote on a total ban on gas fracking in WA at its ALP state conference in Fremantle on November 8-9.
Bill Johnston: Fracking comments need to wait reported that oil and gas companies, including those with permits in the Gingin and Muchea areas, worked under an assumption that hydraulic fracturing would not have negative effects but an increasing proportion of both the scientific and wider community disagreed.
Then Fracking report not available to the public reported the scientific inquiry into fracking in WA report would only be made public once the then McGowan government had considered its findings and recommendations.
Now Environs Kimberley and Lock the Gate Alliance are urging WA Labor members to listen to the people of Western Australia, including Kimberley traditional owners, who have repeatedly called for a total ban on fracking in the Kimberley.
The Kimberley region is under threat from a proposal from Texan fracking corporation Black Mountain Energy to drill 20 wells in the national heritage-listed Martuwarra Fitzroy River catchment, which is being considered by the WA Environmental Protection Agency.
While it is banned in the Perth metropolitan, Peel and South-West and Dampier Peninsula regions if the Black Mountain Energy proposal is approved, fracking in the Kimberley could start as early as next year.
Fracking also isn’t banned in a number of petroleum leases in the Wheatbelt around Gingin, Cataby and the Mid West, but there are no current fracking proposals being actively pursued in the region.
Gas companies could apply to frack in future though under the existing rules.
The WA Government has promised a landholder veto on production fracking, but not exploration fracking.
But the veto on production fracking is not even policy yet after seven years.
Environs Kimberley executive director Martin Pritchard has said they were very happy to see the ban on fracking in the draft ALP platform ahead of the ALP state conference this weekend and thanked the grassroots members of the Labor Party and key unions who were supporting traditional owners in the Kimberley who wanted to see fracking banned on their country.
Lock the Gate Alliance know there is huge support for a fracking ban in the community and our campaign against fracking in the Kimberley continues to grow.
Just last weekend dozens of voters came together to plan doorknocking in electorates across Perth.
We’ll be out doorknocking people about protecting the Kimberley from fracking in a number of metropolitan seats including Perth and Maylands.
We know that people across the state are opposed to Black Mountain’s plans to frack in the catchment of the national heritage-listed Martuwarra Fitzroy River.
Labor’s members and voters want this ban – now it’s up to Premier Roger Cook to get it done.
Simone van Hattem
Lock the Gate Alliance state campaign coordinator
