Fracking: Labor pledges to tighten regulations to protect water resources

Shale gas not covered in by existing water regulations in 'glaring omission', Labor's environment spokesman says Regulations on unconventional gas development across Australia would be tightened up if Labor wins the next election.Labor's minister for the environment Tony Burke says the party, if elected, will keep the commitment it took to the 2016 election to broaden the "water trigger" to include other forms of unconventional gas extraction. The current water trigger, introduced by the Gillard government in 2013, assesses water resources as a matter of national significance only in relation to coal seam gas and coal mining. Continue reading...