CSG baseline water testing ‘waste of council rates’
LOCAL government funding baseline water testing to help hold CSG miners to account would be a waste of $90,000 of ratepayers' money, says Clarence Valley mayor Richie Williamson.
Cr Williamson dismissed a call from Ballina deputy mayor Sue Meehan for Northern Rivers councils, to fund the testing.
"If the roads were paved with gold, if ratepayers were completely satisfied with the work of the council around the place, then this is something we could consider.
"But we don't have that sort of money to spend." The mayor said he supported the concept of baseline testing to help hold CSG miners to account.
"Our job should be to badger the State Government to regulate the industry and to make sure those regulations are enforced," he said.
Cr Williams said he did not support fracking as a CSG method.
"If a miner says they need to frack to get gas out, we should be able to say no, find another way."
