Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Moore for her question. I have had good discussions with my state counterparts in relation to land use planning, particularly on what the Commonwealth is doing to facilitate consistency in relation to coal seam gas developments. Everyone in this place knows that coal seam gas regulation is largely a state responsibility. The Minister for Resources and Energy, Mr Martin Ferguson, is seeking to facilitate an agreement-best practice approach to regulating the industry across all states and territories. This is a significant policy issue which must be considered carefully and the Gillard government continues to put all energy into this process. With the Commonwealth facilitating the states and territories, they have agreed to work cooperatively covering the following areas: (1) coexistence between agriculture and mining, (2) developing a national regulatory best practice framework focusing on well integrity, including hydraulic fracturing and chemical use and (3) water management and monitoring. These discussions will be progressed at the Energy and Resources Ministers' Meeting in early December this year. It is time for the states and territories to adopt a harmonised framework as a more robust means of ensuring protection of the environment, water and land use. This would provide a consistent set of rules for the future development of the industry.

I acknowledge the level of community concern surrounding coal seam gas, particular concern raised by the member for New England, Mr Windsor, along with my fellow Labor member of parliament. That is why the Gillard government is helping to facilitate discussions with the states and territories.