Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Show us your social licence

By Richard Stanton - posted Friday, 9 August 2013


Social license, like CSR, assumes the gas company must bare the burden of the research, investigation, engagement and resolution of negative issues for the purposes of keeping communities content.

The conflict that has been manufactured by activists (including politicians and political parties) opposed to CSG assumes all costs associated with the issue will be born by those seeking to profit from its extraction.

This is a burden that is not measurable in financial or social terms.

Advertisement

There are too many questions associated with the idea of social license and not an equivalent number of answers.

It may be that Mr Jones can make the pronouncement that gas companies do not have a social license to extract CSG but it is equally relevant that they do not know how to go about getting one because they don't exist.

The governments that provided the legislative licenses do not know how to nor are they qualified to create and issue social licenses.

Activists like to argue that large projects and infrastructure must be vetted and accepted by communities but this was the reason for the invention of land and environment courts as important additional components of the separation of powers.

Gas companies will never get social licenses to operate coal seam gas wells because they are a metaphorical barrier invented by activists to stop such projects.

The 'independent' report from the NSW chief scientist Mary O'Kane investigating coal seam gas offers nothing on social license to operate.

Advertisement

It lectures the state government on the need to build trust in its capacity to oversee safe CSG extraction.

Indeed there are a number of critical issues surrounding CSG that need immediate resolutions including water, health and land access but these are practical matters – they can be legislated.

The NSW and Queensland governments are showing leadership on these issues but on the matter of social license to operate they're uninformed and incapable.

The activists opposed to CSG are about to lock the window as well as the gate and gas companies and governments have no clue about how to get it open again.

 

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. Page 3
  5. All

Richard Stanton's latest book, Scorched Earth: The Deep Rupturing of Australian Society And its Failure to Meet the 21st Century is published as an e-book by verandahpress.com



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

7 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Richard Stanton is a political communication writer and media critic. His most recent book is Do What They Like: The Media In The Australian Election Campaign 2010.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Richard Stanton

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 7 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy