South Australia’s ban on fracking was meant to last another two years. But farmers, environmentalists and communities have expressed shock and dismay over laws that will open up the Limestone Coast for unconventional gas development, with some calling the move “deeply regrettable” and “environmentally disastrous”.
A 10-year moratorium on unconventional gas was introduced by the Marshall Liberal government in 2018, in response to widespread community opposition to fracking in the south-east. A parliamentary inquiry concluded the industry had no social licence, while a survey found 95% of people wanted their region to remain gasfield free.
But on Thursday the Labor premier, Peter Malinauskas, revealed plans to overturn the ban two years early, with laws set to be introduced to the state parliament this week.
Pete Bissell, from the Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council, described the government’s decision as “extremely disappointing” and a broken promise.
“Fracking is not the answer here. Elsewhere in Australia, it has led only to short-term gains accompanied by fast depletion rates on gas wells,” he said. “To jeopardise the sustainable farming future of the region, for projects of this kind, is deeply regrettable.”
The Limestone Coast region, which stretches between the Victorian border and the SA coast, is prime agricultural land. It produces 83% of Australia’s lucerne, half of the state’s dairy and potatoes, and nearly a third of its wine grapes. It is also home to the world heritage listed Naracoorte caves, and nationally significant wetlands including the Coorong national park and Piccaninnie ponds.
Primary producers and communities in the region rely heavily on ancient groundwater aquifers, which have been in consistent decline since 1993. Risks to this natural resource are consistently raised as a concern in relation to fracking activity.
The current embargo on hydraulic fracture stimulation, a method of gas extraction more commonly known as fracking, is applied across seven local government areas: Mount Gambier, Naracoorte Lucindale, Grant, Tatiara, Kingston, Wattle Range and Robe.
The Limestone Coast Local Government Association said no fracking should occur until a region-wide assessment of the environmental, social and economic impacts had been undertaken.
The president of the association, Lynette Martin, who is also mayor of Mount Gambier, said councils were “acutely aware of the anxiety and concern” the announcement had created in the community.
“This region is built on the strength of its food and fibre industries – industries that are established, sustainable and critical to our economy,” she said. “We should be backing those industries with confidence, not creating uncertainty that could undermine future investment.”
Explaining his government’s decision to remove the blanket ban, Malinauskas told SkyNews that gas was a “necessary component” of reaching net zero emissions. “There is no world where we get to Paris [climate agreement targets] without gas playing a role in transition.”
He said any proposals would be subject to “rigorous scientific, environmental and community scrutiny”.
Georgina Woods, the acting national coordinator for the Lock the Gate Alliance, said it was a “shocking decision” that broke the state government’s promise “to protect precious groundwater and fertile farmland from the environmentally disastrous impacts of fracking”.
“What’s even more surprising is the timing,” she said, with the announcement made just eight weeks after the state election.
Meanwhile, the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy said the change would “restore science-based decision-making”.
“As the east coast faces tightening gas supply, unlocking responsibly regulated local production is a practical step toward energy security and affordability,” said the chief executive, Catherine Mooney.
It follows an agreement between the SA government and Santos signed in February, contracting the company to supply 20 petajoules of gas annually, over 10 years from 2030.
The state’s current gas use is about 63PJ a year, with electricity generation contributing about half of the total. However, it has a target to reach net 100% renewable energy by next year.
The energy minister, Tom Koutsantonis, said SA remained on track for its renewables target. “We are proud of our global leadership on renewables – and that has only been possible with the firming capacity of gas,” he said.
The state’s upper house could pose an obstacle, however, with One Nation flagging their opposition to the government’s plans, and the Liberals calling for the community to have a say.
Victoria placed a moratorium on all onshore gas development in 2012. A ban on fracking was later made permanent, while the moratorium on conventional gas was lifted in 2020. Fracking is not permitted in Tasmania and parts of Western Australia.
