Are APPEA and Metgasco Limited massaging the truth?

These are the opening paragraphs of an APPEA 19 June 2014 media release titled Councils shun anti-resources campaign:

Members of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) should be commended for turning their back on anti-natural gas misinformation and scare campaigns and focusing on regional development, APPEA said today.

Two motions, put forward by Griffith City Council in NSW and Moyne Council in Victoria, to respectively restrict and ban natural gas development across Australia were defeated at ALGA’s annual conference in Canberra.

APPEA Chief Operating Officer Eastern Australia, Paul Fennelly said: “Many councils are now alert to a concerted campaign by environmental groups such as the Lock the Gate Alliance to stop natural gas heating our homes, powering our kitchens, supporting agribusiness and driving our manufacturing sector….

On the same day Metgasco Limited posted this media release on its own website under Industry News.

However, when one examines the 82 motions put forward at the Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly on 19-20 June 2014, there is another resolution that both the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) and coal seam & tight gas miner Metgasco Limited curiously failed to mention:

Motion 30

Gunnedah Council, NSW

Motion

That the Federal Government retain the primary responsibility for the approval of resource projects, coal seam gas in particular and provide regulation which best preserves and protects our natural resources, including our underground water tables in primary agricultural land from contamination.

Objective

At a time when the general public wants the Federal Government to take a key role in expanded regulation of the coal seam gas industry, the Abbott Government is planning to reduce regulation and to devolve much of it to the states. The expansion of coal seam gas in Australia is an important issue and needs strong leadership to ensure industry claims are properly scrutinized. That is what the Federal Government needs to do, not 7 different states and territories.

Arguments

At a time when the general public wants the Federal Government to take a key role in expanded regulation of the coal seam gas industry, the Abbott Government is planning to reduce regulation and to devolve much of it to the states. The expansion of coal seam gas in Australia is an important issue and needs strong leadership to ensure industry claims are properly scrutinized. That is what the Federal Government needs to do, not 7 different states and territories.

Was this motion not mentioned because it was passed and is now a resolution being progressed by the Australian Local Government Association?

Readers will have to wait until the association publishes its 2014 resolutions to answer that question.