[Greens-Media] Greens refer special treatment deal with Santos to ICAC - Jeremy Buckingham

[Jack Gough]

Greens refer special treatment deal with Santos to ICAC

The Greens NSW spokesperson on mining Jeremy Buckingham today said he would refer the Memorandum of Understanding between the NSW Government and coal seam gas company Santos to the Independent Commission Against Corruption saying that the declaration that the project would be fast-tracked as a 'Strategic Energy Project' undermined the integrity of the planning and assessment process.

"How can the public have any confidence that the planning process for this huge coal seam gas project will have objectivity or integrity given the government's stated intention to fast-track it," said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

"The National Party received $25,000 in political donations from Santos in the past two years, with another $95,000 from APPEA and other coal seam gas interests.  Barry O'Farrell's promise to rid NSW of the 'decisions for donations' culture is looking very flimsy in light of this decision."

"The community feels the government has taken sides and that while Santos may have to go through the motions of the planning process, their approval is all but guaranteed now."

"What is not guaranteed, however, is that the gas from a future gas field will supply the NSW domestic market.

"On ABC New England radio this morning, Santos spokesman Peter Mitchley refused to guarantee that the gas would be supplied for NSW domestic use.  The language in the Memorandum of Understanding is completely ambiguous, only saying that the project 'could' supply gas into NSW with no actual commitment to sell to certain users.

"Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner has bought a pig in a bag. He has undermined the integrity of the planning process, without any guarantee it will be used for domestic gas supply.

"Coal seam gas is all about supplying the three LNG export terminals at Gladstone, Queensland.  Santos plans to re-direct conventional gas from South Australia from Sydney to Gladstone starting in July this year.

"Any gas shortage is an artificial creation and if government's were serious about securing domestic supply they would regulate to reserve conventional gas supplies in the national interest before allowing exports of LNG.

"If Santos are allowed to get a foot in the door then not only will we see water resources, farms and ecologies in the Pilliga put at risk, but we can expect the entire north-west of NSW to become industrialised.

"The Nationals will be responsible for coal seam gas creeping out like a virus onto farmlands as unconventional gas extraction requires continual expansion as gas wells run dry," he said.

Kind Regards,

Jack Gough

OFFICE OF JEREMY BUCKINGHAM MLC
Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9230 2470 | Fax: 02 9230 3341 | Mobile: 0427 713 101 | Twitter: @jgough87

The information contained in this message and or attachments is intended only for the person to whom, or the entity to which, it is addressed. It may contain confidential and / or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient we ask you to contact the sender and to delete / destroy this message as well as any attachments and / or copies. Use of the information contained in this message by anyone other than the intended recipient without express authority is prohibited. Any views expressed in this communication are those of the individual sender except where they are specifically stated to be the views of Jeremy Buckingham MLC or The Greens NSW.
P Please consider the environment before printing this email.