Aust to become Saudi Arabia of gas: Crean

SYDNEY (AAP) - Aug. 19 - The nation must overcome the increasingly bitter conflict between the coal seam gas (CSG) and farming factions, with the country poised to become the "Saudi Arabia of gas", Regional Australia Minister Simon Crean says.
Speaking to land owners at a Rural Press Club lunch on Friday, Mr Crean said Australia needed to develop its CSG industry.
"The coal seam gas industry is one of the cleaner fuel options for an energy-hungry world, and we have the capacity to supply it in spades as well as the LNG (liquefied natural gas) industry - Australia will become the Saudi Arabia of gas," he told the lunch.
The debate between land owners and CSG companies has intensified in recent weeks, with farmers feeling their rights are being trampled.
The Greens will introduce a bill into federal parliament next week to force CSG companies to obtain written approval from land owners before entering their property.
Mr Crean said the CSG/farming debate must be based on facts, particularly the impact the drilling will have on the land's water table.
"My solution is quite simple: first of all you get the facts, what impact is it going to have," he said.
"You use the science ... to get the two sides together to sort out what can be done."
"I think commonsense will prevail on this, but I do think it's got to be based solidly on the facts ... otherwise you'll get the emotions in play."
Mr Crean also drew comparisons between this debate and the native-title issue of the early 1990s.