FED:Abbott risks foreign investment: Shorten=4

AAP General News (Australia)
08-14-2011
FED:Abbott risks foreign investment: Shorten=4

The Australian Greens say they will introduce legislation to parliament during the
next fortnight that aims to have coal seam gas corporations obtain written permission
before entering a farmer's land.

"It is a simple solution to the growing alarm in rural Australia," Greens leader Bob
Brown said on Sunday.

He cited the Darling Downs where more than 40,000 drill holes to extract gas have been
proposed in the coming years.

"We would like to extend the bill to include open-cut coal mines but feel that, at
this juncture, we'd be better to confine legislation to the terms set by Mr Abbott."

Senator Brown has written to the opposition leader seeking talks "to move our common
position forward" as quickly as possible.

There were sufficient numbers in both houses of parliament for the legislation to be
approved before Christmas, he said.

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KEYWORD: CSG 4 CANBERRA

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