Mr PALLAS (Resources) (12:24:33) — I rise to provide an update on the work of the lead scientist and the Victorian gas program. We were elected to put Victorians first. That is why we are proud to have permanently banned fracking in our state and extended the conventional gas moratorium. We understand there are concerns about onshore conventional gas. That is why this government invested $42.5 million to assess the potential of onshore conventional gas, as we know that there are no proven or probable gas reserves in Victoria.

The Leader of The Nationals may have put it best when he said: ‘The work has not been done as to what the consequences could be for our agricultural production and water’. Of course, that was then. The lead scientist is doing the work, conducting over 70 engagements with communities and stakeholders right across Victoria, starting on a 3D geological model of the Otway Basin and conducting environmental studies to ensure onshore conventional gas is safe for our farmers. None of this due diligence would have been done or would have occurred if the moratorium was lifted today like those opposite now want. But of course the story was different in the past.

The Victorian Farmers Federation of course support our policy, calling it ‘a window to ensure a suitable regulatory framework’. In contrast The Nationals are rolling over yet again, just like they always do. I have said it before and I will say it again: they are all hat and no cattle. Their policy shows that they are willing to sell out regional Victoria just to help Malcolm Turnbull and his puppetmaster, Tony Abbott. Our government stands for regional Victorians, and we will not be stepping back from that.