New commission to restore confidence in CSG

The Queensland Government last week fulfilled another election commitment as Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney announced he would establish the Gasfields Commission to restore Queensland’s confidence in the coal seam gas (CSG) industry.
Mr Seeney said the Toowoomba-based Commission would work with the government to ensure the CSG industry struck the right balance to meet the interests of landholders, local community groups and the environment.
“The Queensland Government fully supports the CSG industry, but it must live up to the world’s best practice and work with the community, landholders and the government to achieve the best outcomes for the state,” Mr Seeney said.
“The Gasfields Commission will be established to restore confidence in the CSG industry and meet the needs of the communities involved with and affected by CSG growth in Queensland,” he said.
“The group will comprise chairman John Cotter and six commissioners to represent the community.
“It will not be driven by a political agenda and nor will it create more bureaucracy. The commission will be about achieving outcomes for communities, the CSG industry and for Queensland, and driving the agriculture and resources sectors to build the four-pillar economy pledged by the LNP during the election.”
Mr Seeney said it was up to the community to determine who should be on the commission, what powers the commission should have and its major areas of interest or focus.
“For the next 30 days we will seek expressions of interest or nomination of commissioners and aim to have the Gasfields Commission up and running in three months.
“The commission will be based in Toowoomba so it will be in close contact with the communities involved and chairman John Cotter will also be out on the ground meeting with local landholders and industry representatives and listening to their concerns.”