The Ballina Mayor says he’d like to see a coal seam gas exclusion zone around the entire shire.

Councillors this week supported a staff recommendation to ask the State Government to protect more agricultural land from CSG development.

David Wright says the council also wants a two-kilometre buffer zone around the villages of Tintenbar and Newrybar.

He says virtually no-one supports the industry setting up in Ballina.

“Maybe a two-kilometre exclusion zone around the entire boundary of the shire would be appropriate,” Cr Wright said.

“That didn’t of course make the recommendation but I think that’s the standard, that council is totally opposed to having CSG anywhere in the shire.

“We’ve got aquifers and we’ve get tourism and we’ve got such good farming land there is no need, and the people desperately don’t want it.

“I think that any coal seam gas company that would want to undertake exploration in our shire or a couple of the neighbouring shires, they would meet incredible opposition.

“I don’t wish to have that confrontation, so I hope they take heed of our motion.”