MEDIA RELEASE - 4 June 2013

The Greens NSW spokesperson on mining Jeremy Buckingham today called on the Labor Member for Page, Janelle Saffin to speak publicly in support of legislating landholders’ right to say no to coal seam gas.  Mr Buckingham expressed concern that Ms Saffin was hypocritically exploiting the coal seam gas issue for electoral gain, while her party remained pro-coal seam gas.

“If Janelle Saffin is serious about stopping coal seam gas, she should publicly tell her state Labor colleagues to back the Greens’ amendments to give farmers and other landholders the right to say no to coal seam gas mining on their land,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“Labor voted against the right to say no in the NSW Lower House, but have the opportunity to vote for the amendments to the Petroleum and Mining laws when it is debated in the Upper House later this month.

“Labor Resources Minister Gary Gray told a gas industry conference last week that opposition to coal seam gas was ‘absurd proposition’, yet Ms Saffin is running around saying she’s against coal seam gas.  What is the Labor Party’s real position?

“Janelle Saffin is criticising the Nationals on coal seam gas, but is she willing to stand up to her Labor Party colleagues and tell them they should vote in state parliament to give farmers the right to say no to gas mining?  This is the test to see if she’s true blue about her opposition, or whether it’s just a handy issue for electioneering?

“The Greens have been strongly and consistently against coal seam gas, and want to see the billions being poured into coal seam gas mining redirected to investment in clean renewable energy like solar and wind power,” he said.

Contact: Max Phillips - 9230 2202 or  0419 444 916