On tuesday December 8, the parliamentary inquiry into unconventional gas (UCG) will release its final report. It is not an overstatement to say that this puts Victoria at a crossroads in terms of our future energy policy. This is the best chance our state will ever have to stop this invasive industry before it gets established.

As a fuel, UCG is the same as the natural gas that you might use to cook on or heat your home. The only difference is that previously, it was hard to get to because it was buried very deeply or trapped in coal seams or shale or sandstone beds. But improvements in technology and rising gas prices have opened up new gas fields around the world. Generally UCG needs to be 'fracked' to be released. Fracking (hydraulic fracturing) creates a mini earthquake which fractures the rock or coal seam containing the gas, and a mix of chemicals and water are blasted into the seam to release and withdraw the gas. The potential for groundwater contamination is well known and well documented. There are a whole range of environmental and public health concerns related to this industry.

Friends of the Earth today raised concerns with ongoing pesticide pollution, in a number of reservoirs that supply Central Victorian Residents with drinking water.

The information obtained from a Freedom of Information request to water authority Central Highlands Water, reveal that eleven reservoirs contained traces of pesticides mostly between the late 2012 and late 2014.

In late 2012, Central Highlands Water implemented actions which made it possible to detect levels of pesticides, which sampling conducted for years earlier would not have been able to reveal. As a result almost 50 pesticide detections have been detected since late 2012.

Communities across the state will welcome today’s announcement by the Coalition that they are strengthening their position on unconventional gas mining. The new position, an improvement on the one held when they were in government is a good step in the right direction, but rural communities are still disappointed that this did not happen whilst they were in power and will not back down until a permanent ban is in place.

Whilst supporting a 5 year moratorium is better, it still does not address the key issue which is that the unconventional gas mining industry does not have a social licence to operate in regional Victoria. This is shown by the 67 communities that have already declared themselves gasfield free.

Five of us squeezed into Brigit’s car, laughed, talked and ate unusual chocolate while Brigit drove us through the traffic jammed outskirts of Melbourne’s suburbs out into Gippsland. We made it through the fog and strange smells to a tree-lined road and arrived at the Seaspray Lock the Gate meeting in time to catch most of the proceedings and Glenda’s wonderful tucker. This town takes its fight seriously, and we all got down to business. It is a time for everyone’s input to the government’s onshore gas inquiry and the Seaspray community is right onto it.

With the state inquiry into unconventional gas coming to a close we need to make our message clearer than ever before, that unconventional gas will never be welcome in Victoria.

Join the over 60 communities that have already declared themselves for a rally that has been over 3 years in the making!

We can't wait to see you midday on Sunday 20th September at the State Library to declare our state Gasfield Free!

media release August 19, 2015

Friends of the Earth

Communities across Gippsland and Western Victoria are relieved and heartened that today's Victorian Auditor General's report has warned the government that well recognised risks may make unconventional gas mining unsuitable for Victoria because of it's dense population, scarce water resources, and high reliance on agriculture.

The report, called Unconventional Gas: Managing Risks and Impacts, released this morning, outlines that "substantial national and international studies have comprehensively identified the potential and known risks that unconventional gas poses to the environment and the community ... Environmental and social values are integral to this conversation if we are to avoid a damaging legacy in years to come."

Today, Avant Card has started to distribute thousands of cards around Victoria urging people to support a permanent ban on unconventional gas drilling.

With a state government Inquiry into this industry currently underway, this is the best chance we will ever have to stop this destructive industry before it gets established in our state.

The Committee is due to release it's interim report on September 1.

As Trade Ministers meet in Hawaii to continue the secret negotiations of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), Friends of the Earth Melbourne’s Economic Justice Collective have released a paper titled ‘Fracking the Planet: How the Trans Pacific Partnership will expand fracking in Australia and around the globe’. This paper explains the implications of the Investment State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) Chapter of the TPP, and explores the ways in which foreign corporations could use this clause to override the Australian law and environmental regulations to continue fracking the planet.

unconventional gas industry has no social license

Friends of the Earth media release. July 22, 2015

New polling commissioned by The Greens highlights the strong opposition to the unconventional gas industry in metropolitan areas.

“Community resistance to this industry is enormous across regional Victoria” said Friends of the Earth co-ordinator Cam Walker. “More than 60 communities have already declared themselves coal and/or gasfield free.”

Check here for details on the Victorian government's Inquiry into Unconventional gas.

Public hearings are now underway, and we have three more weeks to influence the Inquiry as the interim report is due out on September 1.

Please check here for ideas on taking action.