Wine, gas, don't mix

HUNTER winemaking legends and leaders have called for the vineyard region to be ‘‘excised’’ from a coal seam gas exploration licence.

In a submission to a proposed NSW coal and gas strategy, the Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association argued Broke Fordwich and Pokolbin should be removed from AGL’s exploration licence and any future licences.

The submission has the endorsement of industry figures including Bruce Tyrrell, Brian and Fay McGuigan, the late David Clarke, Max and John Drayton, and Andrew Margan.

The former Labor government began the consultation process, releasing a discussion paper during its dying days.

The association said AGL’s licence was due to be renewed in 2012, meaning the change could be made in recognition of the significant economic contribution of the vineyards.

In its submission, the NSW Minerals Council emphasised that coalmining and coal seam gas were ‘‘fundamentally different’’ industries in terms of processes and regulations.

The council supported land use plans but argued against exclusion zones that could ‘‘quarantine’’ coal resources before a cost benefit analysis was done.

The Coalition pledged before the election to produce land-use plans, to introduce tougher project assessments and monitoring, and to protect agricultural land and water resources. A ‘‘transition’’ period was promised to begin a month after it took office.

Planning Minister Brad Hazzard has recently been ill. A spokeswoman for Resources Minister Chris Hartcher said the government was in the process of applying its policy.