Appea dismisses claims that Victoria gas ban will not affect prices

The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) has again called on Victoria to reconsider its ban on onshore gas exploration and development, dismissing claims by the state government that the ban will not affect gas prices for local residents. “This issue goes beyond the government surrendering to the activists’ fear campaign against hydraulic fracturing (fracking),” Appea CEO Dr Malcolm Roberts said on Friday. “The Victorian government has not just banned fracturing; it has imposed a five-year moratorium on developing any onshore gas resources, regardless of whether or not fracturing is needed.”