APGA CEO Cheryl Cartwright said the Senate Select Committee on Certain Aspects of Queensland Government Administration related to Commonwealth Government Affairs ignored “the comprehensive reviews of the science and regulation of the coal seam gas industry”

“The call for a royal commission into the industry ignores the independent reviews completed in 2014 by the New South Wales Chief Scientist into CSG activities and the Northern Territory review into hydraulic fracturing,” Cartwright said.

“The science is in and these reviews found that the risk of unconventional gas extraction can be managed by sound regulation and professionalism from the operators involved.”

She said the regulation of the industry had improved in recent years with government agencies refocused on studying and monitoring the effects on groundwater and the environment.

“Many landholders welcome the CSG industry,” Cartwright said.

He echoed oft-repeated concerns by the upstream gas industry that delays in the supply of gas would not help the Australian economy, particularly the manufacturing sector.

“Advocating the shutdown of the CSG industry on purely ideological grounds is not in the nation’s interests,” Cartwright said.

The committee also recommended that the Queensland government complete a review of the Gasfields Commission Queensland including roles, responsibilities, conflicts of interest and independence.