Following conversations with Tasmanian Labor yesterday, the Greens will not be proceeding with debate on our bill to ban fracking today. This decision has been made to maximise the chances of the legislation passing.
Upon making the announcement we would move to ban fracking, the Greens and various stakeholders were hopeful that this bill had a good chance of receiving the support of the Parliament. After all, Labor have previously supported legislation to ban fracking, and their support along with that of the crossbench would have been enough to pass this legislation.
However, we also knew that we couldn’t take anything for granted and have been working hard to try to achieve this outcome.
Since announcing this bill last month, the Greens have worked in good faith to provide opportunities for all MPs to be briefed, to ask questions, and to raise concerns.
Having not heard from Labor, in recent weeks we have made significant effort to engage with the Opposition Leader, the Shadow portfolio holder, and other Labor representatives to find out if they would support the fracking ban, or if they had any issues we could address.
Given our multiple attempts to engage with Labor, it was very disappointing to be told by them yesterday afternoon that they would not support the legislation.
It remains unclear why this decision has been made, considering that banning fracking in Tasmania is a long standing Labor position – banning fracking was endorsed by their members in 2015 and they previously voted in favour of near-identical legislation in 2017. Legislation which failed as the parliament was not in powerful minority position it is in 2026.
With Labor’s last minute notice that they won’t support this bill, we have made the decision to press pause to make a last-ditch attempt to work with the various stakeholders behind the bill and help them work with Labor, who they trusted would uphold their decades long position to ban fracking.
Let’s be really clear – the current moratorium on fracking does not provide the protection or the certainty that farmers need. It could be lifted with the stroke of a pen.
We will be bringing this bill on for debate this year. Tasmania needs to secure a proper legislated ban on fracking, otherwise the parliament is trusting whoever is in government simply not to over turn the moratorium, or to extend in and have this same conversation in the next term of Parliament.
Collaboration is key in minority parliaments. The Greens are doing what we can to work constructively in the Parliament to achieve a long awaited outcome for Tasmania’s climate and farmers.
