LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Sir – We are concerned that statements by Federal Industry Minister MacFarlane will drive intensive shale gas fracking across Northern Territory basins and into the Kimberley in WA.
The recent comments lending support to a proposed 1000km, $1.3 billion gas pipeline from Alice Springs to Moomba in South Australia could link Territory and Kimberley gas fields to the national grid, driving ever more exploration and fracking across the region.
This proposed pipeline not only carves through the iconic red sand dunes of the Simpson Desert but will likely fuel invasive shale gas fracking across the Northern Territory and into the Kimberley.
The Territory and Federal Governments are acting as agents for the gas companies. The employment benefits will only be short-term. The profits will go to shareholders with the risk being carried by the groundwater dependent communities of NT and WA.
This is the failure of federalism – the routing of the regions.
NT Chief Minister is quoted in [a recent] article stating that the Federal Government has proposed to underwrite the plan if it is deemed “uneconomical”.
This gives a huge incentive for rent-seeking companies to capture the domestic and international gas market with governments picking up the short-fall.
The findings from the NT Hydraulic Fracturing Inquiry have yet to be reported, but unfortunately it seems that the Territory and Federal Governments don’t care either way.
Jimmy Cocking (pictured)
Director, Arid Lands Environment Centre