I believe that it is too simplistic to limit worries to fracking (stimulating as the industry would have us say now) , the product water alone contains so many toxic contaminents that will no doubt turn up in produce. So I would think the Government should be expected to develop a policy, sign and take all responsibility for a decision it has made to expose out land, water and produce to these toxins. I live on the Surat Basin and cannot imagine the toxic load all the flood water which is travelling through Qld, the NSW, then VIc, then SA will have on those downstream. Gigaliters of water.

Who will make good when these chemicals start turning up in the cattle? The companies? Not likely, it'll be up to the poor old farmer and the taxpayer to try and fix the damage if that even possible.

I agree with Brian Monk. When you extract that amount of water - things are going to move around under the ground and who knows where they will turn up.

Exploration and Drilling for CSG should not be allowed to proceed until it can be proven that chemicals are not going to leach out of the coal seams into the underground aquifers or left behind by fracking

If it is still then allowed to proceed baseline testing of water levels and chemicals should be done on every existing bore on that basin - before a drill is allowed to touch the ground. Then at least we can prove issues caused by CSG

Visit Youtube to see what has been recently revealed showing 'Lord' Monkton with a group of mining executives- saying how media ownership and control will greatly aid the activities of this cut-throat industry. These dodgy vandals think they are untouchable, as our governments, our judicial system, and our laws have been too weak.

More fear mongering from vested interests. This time the farm lobby.

Farmers already have very effective benzene delivery mechanisms under their control. They are know as farm machinery. Diesel engines deliver large amounts of Benzene. Not 100's of metres below the ground but directly into their breathed by cattle.

Before any rules are imposed there should be baseline testing. And farmers should be held to the same standards on all chemicals.

I disagree with labelling farmers "vested interests" This denies existence of the enormous disparity in power between mining/CSG companies and farmers

Farmers are potentially affected STAKEHOLDERS, disempowered by processes for mining/CSG projects that may damage their livelihoods, land values & wellbeing

My experience is Regulatory process FAIL to properly protect water supplies & technical assessments can be slanted in favour of projects

Farmers & their experts MUST be empowered in assessments & decision making

This is a Social Justice issue

Hello Rick, farmers are already held accountable for our actions including with chemicals its called Quality Assurance and we get audited every year and can have surprise audits at any time as well. If we dont comply we cant sell our products in our case milk. We have had baseline testing on our farm for chemicals we had no choice in it or what company did the testing, all this is part of our Quality Assurance system. These systems have given Australian farmers the edge in over seas markets because of our safe food policys.