Member for Moore Shane Love MLA is confident that the Nationals WA will adopt his position that would see landholders given the right of veto over oil and gas companies.
The Moore branch of the National Party will take a motion to grant the right of veto to the National Party’s state conference in Geraldton on October 29, which Mr Love said he hoped would provide the party’s platform going into the March 2017 election.
“That motion would give landholders the same right of veto over the petroleum industry that landholders have within the Mining Act 1978,” Mr Love said.
“Having agitated for greater landholder rights since being elected nearly four years ago, I believe now that the most straightforward way of ensuring that landholders operate within a level playing field is that they have the right of veto.”
Mr Love said that his position on the petroleum industry and land access related issues had strengthened over time.
“I crossed the floor to vote against both my Nationals colleagues and the Liberal Party soon after being elected in 2013,” Mr Love added.
“This was to oppose amendments that would further erode property rights of farmers and other land holders under the law governing oil and gas.
“Over the intervening period, I have gathered support within the National Party room for a better deal for land owners and have put proposals to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum that, whilst then stopping short of a veto, would have greatly improved the negotiating position of farmers.”
Mr Love said these proposals were broadly reflective of the findings of the Legislative Council Inquiry into the industry.
“My position further strengthened when it became clear that the Government was not going to adopt all of the recommendations of the Upper House Inquiry into fracking, tabled in November 2015,” he said.
“I then realised it was time to cut to the chase and simply give farmers the right to say no.”
Mr Love said he understood the concern that members of the community have in regard to the potential development of the gas industry.
“Giving landholder’s the right of veto is the most effective and clear cut way of maintaining their property rights,” he added.
