Queensland government faulted for slow response to gas seep and calling Knitting Nannas a ‘risk’

The Queensland government's response to a gas seep "capable of posing risk to life or property" near Chinchilla included a briefing memo about the incident that described a local Knitting Nannas Against Gas group as a "risk".

On 24 July 2020, a landowner about 10km from Chinchilla discovered water and gas bubbling from several former coal exploration bores on the property. The seep occurred near a section of the Condamine River where methane had previously bubbled to the surface.

Documents released under Queensland Right to Information laws detail how the bores were releasing water and gas in an "uncontrolled manner that would appear to be capable of posing a risk to life or property" and required "urgent remediation" work, according to the state Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.

Conservation group Lock the Gate claims the documents show the government did not act with necessary urgency - it took six days for the state department to consult with resource companies and authorise access to the site for remediation.

One briefing note written by departmental staff on 30 July 2020 - the same day the remediation was authorised - lists "risks" associated with the incident.

"The risk of media attention is considered low due to the borehole location being away from public view," the memo says.

"However, it is noted that anti coal-seam gas (CSG) sentiment exists around Chinchilla, with an active 'Knitting Nannas Against Gas' group, and several anti-CSG advocates and landholders in the area.