Meat, Livestock & CSG

Joe Hill's Angus sale near Miles.
Courtesy of Karen Auty

A summary of a report published in August 2014 by the Meat & Livestock Association (MLA) pointed out the risks coal seam gas operations could have on livestock producing properties. As well as the usual risks to landholders, contamination of livestock on neighbouring properties is possible and the producer may have primary liability.

The Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) published Coal Seam Gas Operations on Livestock Properties in August 2014. The MLA commissioned law firm DLA Piper to prepare the report at the request of the Cattle Council of Australia (CCA) and the Australian Lot Feeders Association (ALFA). A summary of the report was sent out to CCA members and is now online. 

The summary points out the following risks to livestock producers -

- Risk to amenity and privacy through new infrastructure and increased traffic

- Risk to biosecurity through vehicle movements and opportunities for mixing and escape of livestock if gates are left open.

- Risk to your staff and family from a Workplace Health and Safety perspective

- Risk that your ability to conduct standard management practices on your property and expand in the future will be impaired.

The report recognises the risks to groundwater and suggests the landowner ‘press for a contract which allocates responsibility for managing the risk, and any adverse outcomes, onto the CSG operator.’ It recognises that soil and pasture on neighbouring properties could also be contaminated ‘as well as livestock which, if then processed and consumed, could breach Australian food standards or importing country requirements for meat. While a landowner may have some recourse against a CSG operator, the landowner may still have primary liability.’

‘Environmental regulatory authorities may also exercise statutory powers to impose clean-up obligations on the landowner if contamination occurs. These costs may not always be recoverable from the CSG operator under the relevant legislation.’

The full report has never been published despite pressure from cattle producers, who are supposedly represented by the CCA.