What’s at risk?

With its super-sized rigs known as ‘mega frackers’, Tamboran Resources is preparing to drill across hundreds of kilometres, use up to quadruple the amount of water than anything else in Australia, inject toxic forever chemicals into the ground, and release millions of tonnes of climate pollution – every single year.

In the United States, thousands of fracking wells were drilled before the regulations caught up. By the time they did, it was too late, and tonnes of cancer-causing chemicals were already in the land and water. Frackers are banking on the same situation taking place in Australia – but we won’t let it happen.

In the Northern Territory, fracking is in the so-called ‘exploration’ phase, where there are very few regulations. There’s no need to consult with Traditional Owners, minimise harm, or even secure a licence before selling fracked gas from exploration. It’s known as “production by stealth” – and sales are about to kick off.

What you can do about it

You can help make protecting water a major issue for MPs and Senators across the country. Simply click here download a letter and artwork designed by (XXXX) to deliver to an MP or Senator’s office and ask them to raise the matter with Plibersek’s office directly. Head along alone or with a friend, and remember to snap a pic!

Once you’ve done it, let us know on info@350.org.au and send us the photo.

Tell me more about our new national environment laws

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act was designed by the Howard government, but since it come into effect has done little to protect our environment. Under the law, all sorts of new projects and developments must go through an environmental approval process. This is to assess their impact and make sure they won’t negatively affect our cherished landscapes, unique wildlife and cultural heritage.

But to date, the Act has approved 740 coal and gas projects and rejected just 1. There is no scope in the Act to consider the impact a project will have on climate change and does not account for emissions burnt offshore.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is rewriting our national environment laws by reforming the EPBC Act, but in April this year, announced that she’s delaying the full reforms, at a time when nature and our climate can least afford it. The Government will table the addition of Environmental Information Australia and an Environmental Protection Agency to the law but without meaningful updates to the rest of the legislation, these two agencies are powerless.

Civil society groups are asking for five key things when the Government makes the new Environmental Protection Agency:

1. Put climate into Australia’s environment law and make fossil fuel companies accountable for their downstream pollution
2. End the decades-long environment law exemption for native forest logging on public land
3. Make sure land clearing is treated like any other environmental impact under Australia’s environment law
4. Give Australian wildlife the certainty of a “quick no” with up front protection to stop unacceptable impacts.
5. Create National Environment Standards for decision making as promised to restore trust in our national environment law.