Farmers call for all sides of politics to support CSG pause

The bill, put forward by independent politician Justin Field, would put in place a state-wide moratorium on CSG until an expert panel is satisfied the industry is safe.

Mr Field modelled the bill off one previously put forward by Labor, and noted many of the Upper House minor parties had previously supported similar legislation.

Mullaley farmer Margaret Fleck applauded Mr Field's "sensible" proposal to implement the expert panel, as recommended by the NSW government's Chief Scientist.

"We urge the Labor Party, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, and all cross-bench MLCs to support this bill and get it passed, given the risks of CSG and long-term community opposition," Ms Fleck said.

"Most importantly, this is a key test for the National Party and we urge them to vote for this bill.

"Given their party has passed a motion to have expired CSG licences extinguished, they should step up and support this bill."

The bill would also see some areas declared CSG-free zones, including much of the North West as a recharge area for the Great Artesian Basin.

Lock the Gate's NSW coordinator Georgina Woods said CSG was "expensive, damaging and unreliable", and the state couldn't afford to let it go ahead.

"There is simply no need for more farmland to be destroyed so that expensive, polluting coal seam gas can be extracted," Ms Woods said.

"There's no need or value in sacrificing groundwater in the parched North West for an industry nobody wants and a fuel nobody can afford."

Andrew McConville, CEO of gas industry body APPEA, said there was no reason NSW couldn't have a safe and sustainable CSG industry.

"Repeated independent inquiries, including by NSW Chief Scientist, have found there are no risks associated with onshore gas development that can't be managed, mitigated or eliminated by an appropriate regulatory framework - which NSW has in place," he said.

"The answer to addressing NSW's gas needs is developing new supply - not further regulation or imposing bans."

This article first appeared in the Northern Daily Leader