LIBERAL Party Robe branch president Timothy Rogers has challenged politicians from all parties to declare whether they understand the risks associated with unconventional gas extraction in the South East.
"We are the only place in SA with any decent water and we've got these two aquifers that are going to be pierced," he said.
"If the people making the decisions are happy with this, then they should put their money on the line and (be prepared to) compensate if there's any damage to groundwater in the future."
His concerns were supported by the Liberal's Robe branch, despite elected party politicians, such as Member for MacKillop Mitch Williams, towing the line and supporting unconventional gas for the sake of industry and employment.
"I'm prepared to be castigated by my political party for this, but the stakes for the country are too high," Mr Rogers said.
He supports the District Council of Robe's push for a moratorium on the industry and pointed out that neither Labor nor Liberal politicians turned up to vote on a private members bill proposed by Greens leader Mark Parnell last year to ban fracking and coal seam gas extraction on farmland, settled and conservation areas.
"We've got the last gasp of the petrol industry attempting something they wouldn't have looked at 10 years ago because of the cost of recovery, and yet on the other side we've got agriculture, which is about to blossom," he said.
"But if exploration is successful, this area will become a pin cushion."
* Full report in Stock Journal, January 16, 2014 issue.
Malcolm Sutton
Stock Journal's news journalist and magazine editor.
Stock Journal's news journalist and magazine editor.
