October 2017 Guy: Liberal Nationals Onshore Gas Policy
Monday 9 October 2017 Liberal Nationals Onshore Gas Policy
Today, Peter Walsh and I announce an onshore gas policy that will give Victorians a clear choice at the next election.
This policy will help put the brakes on soaring gas prices that are currently hurting Victorian households and businesses.
Our policy will provide cheaper gas and create more jobs while protecting our environment and farmland.
Our policy keeps Victoria’s fracking ban while securing the gas resources we need.
A Liberal Nationals Government will legislate to allow onshore conventional gas exploration and production in Victoria on a case-by-case basis.
Our policy will create a new royalty sharing scheme that will allow local landowners to benefit from gas produced from beneath their land. Landowners will receive a 10% share of the royalty paid to government of the net post-wellhead sales value of recovered gas.
The rights of landowners will be protected with a right of veto over conventional gas exploration and production on their land.
The Liberal Nationals continue to support the ban on fracking and coal seam gas exploration and production in Victoria to protect our farmland and our water supplies.
The Liberal Nationals will also introduce a domestic gas policy that ensures new gas discoveries are for the benefit of Victorians.
Our onshore gas policy complements our position on renewable energy and provides a clear alternative to Daniel Andrews’ reckless, go-it-alone VRET of 40% by 2025.
A combination of decisions by Daniel Andrews has contributed to the sky-rocketing costs of electricity and gas.
The Andrews Labor Government’s ideological decision to triple the taxes on Victorian brown coal and pursue a go-it-alone 40% Victorian Renewable Energy Target, as well as banning all new sources of conventional onshore gas, has set off a chain reaction that led to the sudden closure of the Hazelwood power station, massive increases in energy prices and a dependence on Tasmania and New South Wales for reliable electricity.
The conventional gas industry has successfully existed in Victoria for decades and together with Victoria’s world-class brown coal reserves, has previously been responsible for our state’s position as Australia’s low-cost energy power house.
Allowing the private sector to locate new sources of gas will help to bring more supply into the Victorian energy market and reduce cost pressures.
Victorians will have a clear choice on energy policy at the next election.
It will be a choice between Daniel Andrews’ energy policies that puts Greens voters first or the Liberal Nationals’ policies that will put Victorians first Bring on that Election Cheers Towie
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