Tasmania Fracking Ban

Current Situation

There is a current year-old fracking ban in Tasmania that is set to expire on March 31. The government is currently weighing whether to extend the ban while the opposition is accusing it of hypocrisy. They have received more than 150 submissions as part of its review (>90% of which are from those who oppose fracking, according to an anti-fracking group "Frack Free Tasmania").

Many believe that the ban was completely political in the first place, but most just believe that the government needs to make a decision and stick to it.

What is fracking?

Fracking is the injection of liquid at high pressure into underground rocks with the purpose of extracting oil/gas. This practice has led to large amounts of controversy both in Australia and elsewhere.

What happens next?

An announcement will be made before the moratorium expires after each of the submissions have been considered. One large problem that will have to be faced is the fact that a large portion of Tasmania is already covered in fracking exploration leases, according to "Frack Free Tasmania". This may prove problematic through lobbying efforts and show a lack of consideration for businesses who have spent time and money exploring shale oil and gas in Tasmania.

Sources

• http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-23/pressure-over-tasmania-fracking-as-ban-comes-to-end/6225874