Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek approved 116 new coal seam gas wells for the Surat basin in western Queensland yesterday afternoon.

The new gas projects are part of an ongoing gas extraction scheme from Santos.

This greenlight comes while Plibersek and the Labor government are in the process of reforming the safeguard mechanism legislation, focused on curbing emissions.

Several members of the crossbench have come out in opposition to the proposed changes, citing Labor’s promised 43% reduction in emissions as contradictory to this decision.

Image: Image: Gas Flare – R. Chambers

Produced By: Jono Wakeley

Featured In Story: Adam Bandt – Leader of the Australian Greens Party – Federal Member of Parliament, and Peter Dart – Associate Professor at the School of Land and Food Sciences – University of Queensland

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 22 February 2023