MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017: Lock the Gate Alliance has slammed a renewed push by the Federal Government to pipe gas from Western Australia to feed the east coast market. 
A spokesperson for Lock the Gate in WA, Jane Hammond, said the Federal Government was trying to bully WA into dropping its current fracking moratorium.
“Today’s admission that a study is already underway to assess the viability of this absurd and wasteful pipeline should ring alarm bells across the nation,” Ms Hammond said.
“A transnational gas pipeline would be outdated before it was even complete, but would commit us to energy based on fracking our land and water.
“We have sun, wind, wave and pumped hydro power that is on the cusp of revolutionising the way we harness our energy.
"Ploughing billions of dollars of public money into a pipeline to carry gas across the country will only deliver more high-priced gas.
"The East Coast market would be better served by a gas reservation policy like that in place in WA.
"It's a failure of government policy on the East Coast, where they put export contracts before domestic gas users.
“This smacks of another attempt to push the development of fracking across WA.
"The Federal Government seems hell bent on opening up our farmlands and precious cultural and environmental areas to a risky fracking industry.
“Communities across WA want to protect their land, water and health from the unconventional gas industry.
"In WA, we have 18 communities who have already declared themselves Gasfield Free. Many others are currently going through that process.
“We call on the Premier Mark McGowan to stand up to the Federal bullies. He must make a clear statement that our fracking moratorium will remain in place and that we will have a through and comprehensive fracking inquiry.
"We need all aspects of this dirty industry examined, including its impact on existing industries and its costs and benefits when compared to renewable energy alternatives.”
Further information: Jane Hammond 0403 926 467