MEDIA RELEASE - 7 May 2012

The Greens NSW spokesperson on mining Jeremy Buckingham has today questioned whether the NSW Government moratorium on issuing licences to frack for coal seam gas has ended?

On 2 December, Resources Minister Chris Hartcher announced an extension of the moratorium on fracking in NSW ’until April 2012 pending the completion of an independent review process’.

“It’s now May and we haven’t heard a word from the government about the moratorium on fracking.  Has the moratorium ended?  Will it be extended?  Has Minister Hartcher forgotten?” asked Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“The Legislative Council Inquiry into Coal Seam Gas recently recommended that the ban on fracking be extended until all the chemicals used in the process had been assessed by the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme.”

Contact: Max Phillips - 9230 2202  or  0419 444 916