The Greens will move to protect Australia’s precious groundwater by extending the ‘water trigger’ to all types of unconventional gas mining as part of the their plan to ban fracking across Australia, mining and resources spokesperson Larissa Waters will announce today.

The Australian Greens are calling on urgent Federal Government intervention into the Leigh Creek Energy underground coal gasification project, after today’s announcement the company has produced its first syngas.

“The Federal Environment Minister must intervene and put a stop to this project before any irreversible damage is caused. It is a disgrace it was ever given the go-ahead by the South Australian Liberal Government,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Shell and Arrow Energy have struck a deal without intervention from the Queensland government to push forward with the biggest coal seam gas development on the east coast.

Queensland Greens Senator Andrew Bartlett said:

“The deal between Shell and Arrow Energy when combined have given tens of thousands of dollars to the Labor Party is yet another example of the corporate stranglehold over politics Queenslanders are sick of."

“Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk should pull Labor’s support for this project."

The Greens are leading the charge to protect Australia from destructive coal seam gas mining.

We have secured federal protection for Australia's water, but there is still work to do.

The Greens are the only party standing up to the big coal seam gas mining companies who are threatening our precious water, valuable farmland and global climate. The Greens say NO new coal seam gas approvals.

Responding to a damning new report from the Melbourne Energy Institute showing that the CSG industry has drastically under-estimated dangerous methane pollution from ‘fugitive’ emissions.  Information from Senate Estimates last week shows that the government has not funded crucial further research.  

Senator Larissa Waters, deputy leader of the Australian Greens and resources spokesperson said;