Coal Seam Gas (CSG)
Coal seam gas mining, and the method of extracting the gas (fracking), has led to large numbers of complaints from people who have claimed that fracturing of the rock required to mine natural gas has caused contamination of both their below ground and above ground water supplies.
The Australian Country Party is strongly committed to protection of the natural environment.
After considering the available evidence, the Country Party does not support CSG mining because this method of extraction is still in its infancy and appears to be environmentally unsafe, especially for underground water reserves. Moreover, there are alternative, more traditional methods of obtaining natural gas which are less harmful to the environment. We also have significant, established off-shore reserves which could supply Australia with all the gas we require.
There are also significant concerns about the ability of miners to interfere with the rights of farmers to use their land safely for primary production.
This statement may be reviewed at a later date.
Australian States and Councils
The sovereign states of Australia must be retained and the role of the federal government must be according to the Australian constitution.
It is a core principle of the party that local councils now often referred to as ’Local Government’ should be for local services only and any authority is through the state government and its local offices therefore the term ‘Local Government’ should not apply.
Australia does not need three tiers of government, and councils should NOT be recognised in any Australian constitution.