Greens and Farmers Try to Put an End to Fracking in Australia
The federal parliament will test the support of the major parties for coal seam mining this week in Australia. The Australian Greens are to introduce a bill to increase the rights of land owners and protect the quality of water along with an independent MP.
Independent MP Tony Windsor wants the Coal Seam Gas industry to slow down and will introduce the private member’s bill on Monday to extend the existing federal environmental laws. This is based on fears of farmers in rural Queensland and New South Wales who say that the process of fracking will poison the underground water, contaminate arable land be the cause of health troubles for people in the region.
Mr Windsor said that the issue isn't so much the mining activity, it's the off-site effects of it. He added that as long as you can withhold everything within your boundary you will be given a tick, but if you are doing it in a groundwater system the impact will go outside your area and the federal laws will be triggered.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott ruled out backing a private members bill which the Greens want to introduce. The bill aims at increasing land owners' rights to have a greater say over CSG companies moving in on their properties.
Queensland's Greens Senator Larissa Waters said that the community is way out ahead of the government and the opposition, they want our food security protected. She added that it was incumbent on the major parties to think long and hard about their position on this bill.
Written by
Joel relocated to Australia in 1995 from the United Kingdom and spent five years working in the mining industry as an exploration geotechnician. His role involved utilizing GIS mapping and CAD software. Upon transitioning to the North Coast of NSW, Australia, Joel embarked on a career as a graphic designer at a well-known consultancy firm. Subsequently, he established a successful web services business catering to companies across the eastern seaboard of Australia. It was during this time that he conceived and launched News-Medical.Net. Joel has been an integral part of AZoNetwork since its inception in 2000. Joel possesses a keen interest in exploring the boundaries of technology, comprehending its potential impact on society, and actively engaging with AI-driven solutions and advancements.
Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:
APA
Scanlon, Joel. (2019, March 19). Greens and Farmers Try to Put an End to Fracking in Australia. AZoMining. Retrieved on February 03, 2026 from https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=4777.
MLA
Scanlon, Joel. "Greens and Farmers Try to Put an End to Fracking in Australia". AZoMining. 03 February 2026. <https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=4777>.
Chicago
Scanlon, Joel. "Greens and Farmers Try to Put an End to Fracking in Australia". AZoMining. https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=4777. (accessed February 03, 2026).
Harvard
Scanlon, Joel. 2019. Greens and Farmers Try to Put an End to Fracking in Australia. AZoMining, viewed 03 February 2026, https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=4777.
We're committed to providing free access to quality science. By registering and providing insight into
your preferences you're joining a community of over 1m science interested individuals and help us to
provide you with insightful content whilst keeping our service free.
or
Terms
While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena
answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses.
Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or
authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for
medical information you must always consult a medical
professional before acting on any information provided.
Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with
OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their
privacy principles.
Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential
information.
Read the full Terms & Conditions.