More than twice as many people in the Narrabri Shire reject the proposed coal seam gas industry for Narrabri than embrace it, a new research paper has found.
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The report by GISERA, the gas research arm of the CSIRO, found 30.5 per cent of Narrabri local respondents reject the proposed Narrabri Gas Field outright, while 14.8 per cent embrace it.
However, the remaining 55 per cent indicated they would either tolerate (27 per cent), be OK with (15 per cent), or approve of (13 per cent) CSG development in the shire.
The survey was conducted via phone over six weeks earlier this year, with 400 residents randomly selected from Narrabri Shire and asked more than 180 questions.
People for the Plains spokeswoman Sally Hunter said the results reflected what the anti-CSG group was seeing on the ground.
“This research paper shows what we’ve known for a long time, that twice as many people reject the CSG industry as embrace it,” she said.
“There were almost 23,000 responses to the Environmental Impact Statement put out by Santos earlier this year and 98.7 per cent of these opposed the project. Of the 499 local submissions, 319 rejected the industry.
“No matter how you dice the apple, it’s clear people do not accept the risks of CSG. There are plenty of less damaging ways to create jobs, and far cheaper and cleaner ways to get energy.”
However, Malcolm Roberts, chief executive of gas industry body APPEA, said the results flew in the face of what anti-CSG groups have been saying.
“The survey explodes the myth pushed by Lock the Gate and others that the Narrabri Gas Project is opposed by the majority of local residents,” Mr Roberts said.
“The reality is the Narrabri community supports energy development. They want more jobs. They want to see young people stay in the region. They see real benefits for local businesses.
“People have had enough of the anti-gas campaigns that are driving up energy costs. They want to see energy prices come down and the Narrabri Gas Project can help make that happen.”