10 November 2020.
AgForce continues to negotiate with the insurance and energy sectors to ensure adequate public liability cover for landowners who have coal-seam gas infrastructure on their properties.
Earlier in the year, WFI announced that for those primary producers who have ‘farm-pack’ insurance the public liability component would not be renewed.
While this is a significant threat to maintaining confidence in the farming, insurance and CSG sectors, the lack of resolution has not been for want of trying.
Legal advice obtained by AgForce on the attribution of responsibility regarding indemnity – advice confirmed by the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) – has been refuted by the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA).
AgForce has held several meetings with APPEA and the State Government’s Gas Fields Commission to push our case, but while we are closer to an agreement, the fundamental issue of indemnity arrangements in here-and-now scenarios remains elusive.
We are now urgently seeking advice on the Queensland Government’s responsibilities for the residual risk after the gas company ceases operations on a property.
If we can gain clarification from Queensland Government on this, we are confident we can move towards a resolution.
We will keep you up-to-date with progress in future editions of Action.