Ed, The Grafton Loop of the Knitting Nannas Against Gas has written to our local MP, Kevin Hogan, the Member for Page, about the plans of his leader, Barnaby Joyce, to have CSG and unconventional gas-mining expanded throughout the nation. Mr Joyce, unlike the Nannas, obviously does not understand what a threat this invasive industry is to the environment and the health of local communities. He is claiming that we need more gas produced because we will soon have a domestic gas shortage. We Nannas know only too well that the claim of a gas shortage is a furphy. There is only a shortage because all of the plentiful gas being extracted in this country is being exported. And Mr Joyce and others in government know this but they are suddenly waking up to the issue of ENERGY SECURITY and they are claiming that gas supply is an important component of this. We Nannas would like to know why, when they have been at the wheel (so to speak) since 2013, this important matter has only just occurred to them. As a result we are obviously in for a period of prolonged knee-jerk reactions and boringly predictable policy-on-the-run. So sad! Mr Joyce is proposing that farmers who have gas wells on their land receive 10% of royalties. He claims this will lead to acceptance of the industry and allow it to expand throughout the nation. He seems to be forgetting that it is not only landowners who potentially have wells on their properties who oppose this invasive industry. It also impacts on their neighbours who would not be getting the 10% bribe as well as others in the local community. And what is a bribe worth when the long-term impacts are considered? The Grafton Nannas are looking forward to hearing if Mr Hogan supports his leader’s plan to solve the shortage that is actually NOT a shortage. Leonie Blain on behalf of the Grafton Knitting Nannas