NSW SHOULD FOCUS ON GROWING RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES, NOT CSG: LABOR

MEDIA RELEASE

8 February 2016

The New South Wales Government should be focusing on renewables instead of trying to re-boot the coal seam gas (CSG) industry, the State Opposition says.

The Government is proceeding with its plan to make new CSG exploration licences available mid-year, after announcing in late 2014 it would “pause and reset” the way the industry was licensed and regulated.

Labor’s energy spokesman, Adam Searle, said the Government should not proceed with new CSG licences until all of the chief scientist’s recommendations about the industry were implemented.

“No new exploration or extraction licences should be considered by the Government unless the CSG industry has been proven to be safe,” Mr Searle said.

“The Government’s priority now should be growing renewable energy sources as an overall part of our energy mix as a matter of priority.

“The 20 per cent by 2020 target is falling well short. It’s only at about 11 per cent now and it’s actually slipped in the last year or so.

“So that should actually be the Government’s priority for action, not trying to reboot the CSG industry before it is ready to proceed.”