The decision, which was unanimously backed by councillors, has no legal impact on the industry but adds to the negative sentiment for the industry in the region and follows more than a decade of operation by the industry.

The council made the moratorium as part of a submission to the State Government which has proposed amendments to the regional planning legislation.

Farmers from the region had recently make a deputation to council over concerns about the Comdamine alluvium, a crucial aquifer that supplies groundwater to agriculture.

Councillor Megan O’Hara Sullivan said although the council had no legal role “we do have a voice that needs to be advocate for everyone in our region, not only farmers but everyone who is affected by climate change”.

“It’s now or never. We need to take drastic action to address the levels of global warming and make deep cuts in fossil fuel usage,” she said.

Councillor Bill Cahill said he didn’t want an end to CSG.

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“What I am saying (is) the council call for a moratorium to allow for critical consideration of these issues,” he said.

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“It’s a time for us to pause. ”

He said there was enough evidence and concerns about the level of risk of contamination of groundwater.

“We need to support our residents and their livelihoods and the impacts are likely imminent,” he said.

Thousands of wells are still to be developed in the region. However the industry’s peak group, the Energy Producers Association, said it would not comment.

Activist group Lock the Gate has been campaigning against the industry in the region since the start of development and co-ordinator Ellie Smith said the  vote from Toowoomba councillors showed they understood where the long term economic and social base of the region lies: with farmers and not a multinational petroleum company that will wreak havoc and then leave. Councillors should be commended for taking this step.

“Much of the farmland in the Toowoomba Regional Council area is Prime Agricultural land and Strategic Cropping Land, so Arrow Energy still needs approvals from the Queensland Government to drill here,” she said.

“We hope the Queensland Government recognises the Toowoomba Regional Council’s opposition to new gas approvals and refuses any application to drill on the state’s best farmland. While councils have little direct say when it comes to coal seam gas drilling, opposition by councils has been extremely powerful in other parts of Queensland where planned gas and mining projects have not gone ahead, like the Scenic Rim and Bundaberg.

“The Palaszczuk Government ought to respect the views of local councillors and local farmers. Annastacia Palaszczuk has created a reputation for herself as a premier who understands the bush. Here is her chance to show she means it. She ought to side with farmers protecting our best farmland for the future. ”

“The Department is yet to formally receive the motion made by the Toowoomba Regional Council on 21 November 2023.

The Department of Natural Resources said the state’s resources sector operated within a coexistence framework which balanced the interests of resource companies and landholders, managed environmental impacts and provides economic benefits to the people of Queensland.

“Any resources projects must stack up environmentally, socially and financially,” a spokesperson said.

“The Department has released a consultation paper in relation to a proposed framework to manage and mitigate impacts from coal seam gas induced subsidence.

“Since the release of the consultation paper on 27 September 2023, Queensland Government officials have been briefing a range of stakeholders on the proposed framework, including officers from the Toowoomba Regional Council.”