Media Release - Friday December 16, 2016
Landholders and concerned residents have welcomed a decision by the Shire of Chittering to raise concerns about fracking or any other form of unconventional gas development within its boundaries.
The decision passed unanimously at the council meeting last Wednesday, and council also resolved to endorse the recent decision by the WA Nationals to support landholders’ right of veto over oil and gas companies wanting access to private land.
Lower Chittering landholder Jill Charles said the council was responding to a ‘Gasfield Free Declaration’ by locality of Chittering residents two weeks ago, which saw 99.4% of 167 residents surveyed declare to keep their region gasfield free, after a town hall meeting in Muchea was attended by over 120 people in September.
“There is a gas exploration permit over a large part of the Shire of Chittering, which means our region is at risk of fracking and industrialization over our region, for short-term profit of a gas company,” Mrs Charles said.
“We congratulate the council for taking this step to support the residents, local businesses, the environment and tourism of our precious Shire.
“While this is a positive step, we know that it does not mean the end of this threat to our way of life from an invasive industry.
“We call on the State Government to implement a moratorium on unconventional gas and rule out fracking until it’s proven safe via an independent scientific inquiry” she said.
As part of the motion passed, Councillors requested a report on unconventional gas mining from the Shire CEO before the next meeting in January.