For over 30 years, fracking has been done in NZ. For over 30 years, toxic chemicals have been pumped into fracture wells drilled all over New Zealand, including Canterbury, Taranki and other sites. All around the world, countries are banning Fracking because of the resulting contaminations of ground water, ground and air by such toxic chemicals as benzine and lead. Further there is sufficient evidence that fracking causes earthquakes, sufficient for the Ohio State Government to ban fracking. Sufficient for the French (and lets face it, they're the ones who loved blowing things up with nuclear bombs for heaven's sake) to ban fracking. Why is it allowed here? Because successive governments have made money from the deals. Not a lot, but money non the less. Why, after the Christchurch earthquakes did fracking companies who had been working in the area for years, suddenly pack up and leave? Surely they were not afraid that their wonderfully safe practices caused the earthquakes were they? Please people, stop sticking your heads in the ground. There are safer, cheaper and far more sustainable methods of power production. Ones that do not rely on contaiminating and possibly killing off parts of our population. If you don't believe that it is dangerous, have a look at just how little benzine and/or lead needs to be ingested by a human being to be fatal. Start saying no.

Christchurch will be in good company by declaring a moratorium on fracking. Wales and France have banned it all together. NSW in Australia has extended it's moratorium. States across the US are now declaring moratoriums as the US Govt. has admitted links to increased seismic activity. Councils in the US and Britain have tabled reports demonstrating increased seismic activity in areas where there is fracking. So lets just all think logically here for a second and not get mesmorized by the razzle dazzle of the dollar..... Drilling into the shale to cause fractures - cracks - think about that - got to effect the geological stability of the region some how - If your logic tells you it wouldn't effect anything you probably believe that you can get pregnant by having intercourse. Then highly toxic, proven carcinogenic chemicals are poured down the cracks.... gotta seep into the water table somehow at some stage.... large volumes of water come up from the water table in the extraction process.... gotta deplete our source of drinking water at some stage.... tell me how this is good? Tell me how this leads to prosperity.... What is the point of having lots of money in the hands of foreign multi-national corporations when we have no water to drink! Oh unless you want to be buying your drinking water at top dollar from Coca Cola, further making another foreign multi national corporation rich.... Tell me how this is good for the average kiwi? or any one in the world for that matter....? Since when does millions of dollars in the hands of foreign multi national corporations trickle down to the benefit of the average guy or gal? Where has that ever occurred? Corporations give their money to shareholders. .

@Pencarian #48: I am someone who is strongly opposed to fracking on any level on the Canterbury plains due to the risks involved and who has read peer reviewed scientific papers on this and has science qualifications. The risks are real and have the potential to contaminate the water supply for Christchurch. More independent research needs to be done here, the council is right in asking for this moratorium. Being cautious about this issue and not wanting it to go ahead with out the proper evaluation of the risks is not "ignorant idealism" and nor is voicing those fears "unscientific drivel". I hope you are not confusing industry paid for "research" with peer reviewed academic research. And no citizen should have to "shut up" on an issue that could effect them and future generations no matter the level of information they have on the issue, we don't live in some blend of a corpocracy and a technocracy but a democracy.

#47 Michael excellent suggestion, open cast mining is certainly on our agenda ...much more cost effective and GDP enhancing.

Pencarian #48 What unsubstanstiated drivel, some of my best mining investments have been in the Central African Republic of Congo...the government there is completely aligned to our best practice corporate friendly model and the peasants are very lucky as in all nations who have embraced hydrocabon extraction based economies.

They all create huge capital and dividend streams for our sponsors and apart from the occasional whinging from the ever malcontented natives there are few problems that cannot be solved by judicious use of depleted uranium munitions and well rewarded local governors.

C'mon New Zealand embrace your Brighter Future of fracking, deep sea oil extraction and Best Practice Corporatocracy.

poison our water - go for it does the gov and ccc have shares in bottled water - oh yes lets now create more earthquakes and more disasters as its been a month since the last shake - grow up new zealand clean green image yeah right - pics of contaminated drinking water and lakes and earthquakes - thats bound to make tourists want to come here - to see how to screw a pretty wee island over for a cheap buck

Well done CCC. Also, in addition to the dreadful effects on our water and increased seismic risk, what is the potential effect on our rare Hectors Dolphins which populate the Canterbury coast and are extremely endangered?

where can we sign an anti fracking petition? The council could start that..anything to show this Govt. that we aren't all slaves to the oil dollar.

Reading these comments, I am in no doubt we are in the new Dark Age. The unproven and unscientific drivel spouted by some commenters is scary. If you want to see the zenith of your ignorant idealisim, go live in Central Africa, until then shut up.

why stop at fracking..why not allow open cast mining..just dig big holes and take it all till its all gone.Dont worry about cleaning it up..nobody will stick around to see it..especially after the Canterbury water table is destroyed.never mind we voted national..lets look at the brighter future..big holes..dirty water..its all good.

I am loathe to sound negative at a time when our spirits need to be uplifted but we are playing “Russian Roulette” and sooner or later there will be a live round in the breach! Look what we are potentially opening ourselves up to: fracking on a widespread scale throughout NZ : water supplies threatened as US recorded events show. Oil drilling in real deep and dangerous water potentially by companies with a history less than impressive: beaches, coasts, wildlife threatened by large-scale spills NZ has no chance of fighting even with help that will take some time to even get here. The Conservation Estate is being raided: our need to service spiraling debt is the excuse. Our land is being sold “under our feet” to overseas interests or maybe Michael Fay and his cohorts who on his record selling NZ Rail will use “keep it Kiwi” as a strategy, make a huge profit as HE ultimately “flogs it off” to overseas interests! The list is endless. A major deterioration in any of the above cases (and there are many more) will end our way of life – no question. NZ is incapable of addressing the flow-on effects. Or must we “import” the “moneyed loathsomes “ who we have already seen retreating here? You won’t see our politicians for dust as they scurry away to leave us with any mess which results! Space restricts more in-depth sorry folks.