BSA is committed to working with government and industry to achieve a coal seam gas industry that has minimal environmental, economic and social impacts and preserves groundwater resources for future generations.
Our Achievements
BSA has been working hard to represent the concerns of its members, landholders and businesses with the Surat Basin region. BSA representatives have enjoyed robust discussions with a range of Government Ministers and officers – including Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and many heads of departments.
BSA Chair Ian Hayllor and other representatives from BSA hosted a groundwater conference in Dalby in 2010 and have been invited to speak at a number of conferences and forums including Qld Farmers Federation, a land access forum in Brisbane, National Water Commission in Townsville, Agricultural scientists forum in Toowoomba and CSG forum at UQ and other conferences.
BSA has held meetings with the LNP, hosted a farm tour with the Australian Greens, attended Qld Government Community Cabinet at Roma, held meeting with representatives from DEEDI and DERM (including Director-Generals), meetings with CSG executives, meeting with DERM on baseline data criteria, met with unviersities and researchers, attended APPEA board dinner and hosted Michael Roche and Andrew Barger Queensland Resources Council to tour of farms impacted by coal seam gas development.
Representatives from BSA have also been regularly interviewed by local, metropolitian and national media – print, web, radio and TV - including the Australian, the Queensland Country Life, The Courier-Mail (including QWeekend Magazine), ABC Radio, ABC’s Four Corners and Channel Nine’s Sixty Minutes.
In all of these meetings, forums and media interviews, BSA has taken the opportunity to inform others on the concerns of landholders and look for ways to achieve sustainable industry.
BSA representatives have worked together to unravel complexities of the various laws and government policies that govern the industry and affect landholders.
BSA has made formal submissions on a range of CSG company EISs and government legislation such as the Water and Other Legislation Amendment Bill, Natural Resources and Other Legislation Amendment bill which incorporated a new fraccing framework.
Representatives from BSA are invited to attend the Arrow Surat Community Reference Group meeting every six weeks to discuss community issues, and Chair Ian Hayllor has been appointed to the Governments Surat Basin Consultative Committee.
While BSA continues to maintain open and meaningful dialogue with government, BSA is concerned that many issues have not been fully addressed in the new legislation.
Read Solicitor Peter Shannon’s letter to the media on the WOLA bill >>
Read BSA’s full submission on the Water and Other Legislation Amendment (WOLA) Bill >>