Mr Buckingham finished a week-long mining tour yesterday and told The Leader the tour, which took in the Newcastle, Mudgee, Scone, Gloucester, Gunnedah and Narrabri regions, was organised to gauge concerns of farmers.

“We’ve had a great reception from farmers and communities across NSW who are concerned about mining and coal seam gas,” Mr Buckingham said.

“There’s a groundswell of support coming from the grassroots, raising awareness and voicing their opposition towards coal seam gas.”

A focus for the tour was to speak to as many primary producers as possible.

Mr Buckingham visited Boggabri, Maules Creek, Gurley and Bellata on Wednesday, and Wee Waa, Pilliga and Coonabarabran yesterday.

He said speaking to 100 farmers in a machinery shed at Gurley gave him an insight into their concerns.

“We were on the magnificent Moree plains. It’s an incredible and productive region,” Mr Buckingham said.

“I encouraged them to continue to put the interests of their farms and communities before coal seam gas

companies.

“The overwhelming response from the thousands of farmers, community members and representatives in local government I’ve met is that they are saying ‘lock the gate to coal seam gas’.”

Mr Buckingham said the farmers also showed support for a bill that would put a 12-month moratorium on the coal seam gas industry.

The Greens’ Coal Seam Gas Moratorium Bill will be introduced into the NSW parliament in August.

“We’re asking the government to press pause, so we can see what the coal seam gas industry means for farmers and our water,” he said.

“I’ve been encouraging farmers to speak to their local members to support the bill.”