Yesterday, Minister for Mines Bill Johnston announced the WA
State Government has implemented a ban on hydraulic fracturing for
unconventional gas for all existing and future petroleum titles in
the South-West, Peel and Perth metropolitan regions in Western
Australia (Fracking Ban Area).
In addition, the Minister formally confirmed a moratorium on
fracking throughout the rest of Western Australia pending an
independent scientific inquiry into the potential impact of
fracking outside of the Fracking Ban Area.
The terms of reference of the inquiry include:
- identifying environmental, health, agricultural, heritage and
community impacts associated with the process of hydraulic fracture
stimulation in Western Australia, noting that impacts may vary in
accordance with the location of the activity;
