Gas industry has too much influence in Australian politics

The independent politician is touring the regions, speaking to farmers frustrated their concerns about the expanding gas industry are falling on the deaf ears of Labor and the Coalition.

"They're worried about the direct impacts on their underground water, and the indirect impacts of speeding up climate change," Senator Pocock said.

"It makes no sense to sacrifice some of our most precious and productive land to a dying industry that will harm our climate and fail to provide sustainable economic development."

Despite the deluge of warnings from scientists in the wake of the Black Summer bushfires, who warned the world to ween off fossil fuels, the Morrison government announced a gas-fired recovery to guide the nation out of its COVID and "Labor picked up where they left off".

"It shows the power of the fossil fuel companies and how much influence they have on the major parties," Senator Pocock said.

"It's worrying and embarrassing when our politicians are spruiking the industry like they're fossil fuel lobbyists."

Senator Pocock is no stranger to standing up to the resource industry. In 2014, he was arrested for locking on to mining equipment at Maules Creek in protest of the coal mine.

This time he returns to the NSW Liverpool Plains to protest gas giant Santos expanding onto the black soil plains.

Gunnedah mixed cropping and cattle farmer Doug Frend relies on a single bore for his property and is concerned that lifeline will come under threat with Santos moving into the area.

"We'll be stuffed without water - if we don't have water, we can't run our business or our homes," Mr Frend said.

"Santos extracting coal seam gas in the area will potentially pull the plug from under us and we'll be left with nothing."

The former Wallaby will also visit farmers in Darling Downs, Queensland, who have been living with the effects of the massive gasfield for a decade.

These people have seen the way the locals are treated by the company - they come in and splash money on the local sporting competitions, but when your bore runs dry, they say 'prove it, we'll see you in court',"

Samantha McCulloch, chief executive of Australia's gas lobby group APPEA, said her industry could co-exist with landholders and had paid more than $800m in land access payments in Queensland alone.

"[Senator Pocock] misrepresents the gas industry... has a demonstrated history of respectful and mutually beneficial relationships with landholders and regional communities," Ms McCulloch said.

The parliament will soon debate the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax, which is expected to yield an extra $2.4 billion from the fossil fuel industries.

But critics have labelled the proposal weak. As a kingmaker in the senate, Senator Pocock usually keeps his cards close to his chest, but has openly declared without changes he'll vote against the PRRT.

He's previously called for a windfall profits tax, pointing to Norway's $1.9-trillion sovereign wealth fund as an example, which is financed by taxing the nation's oil companies.

"We've had a lot of things peddled to us... we have more than enough gas, but we export three-quarters of it. We use more gas to process gas for exports than we use internally," he said.