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Politics / Northern Territory

NT Labor fracking stand-off emerges as caucus members voice opposition

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Oil and GasState and Territory Parliament

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  • Four of Labor's six MLAs in the Northern Territory parliament say they personally oppose fracking.
  • Most Territory Labor's caucus have contradicted the party's official position on fracking as set out by Opposition Leader Selena Uibo, telling the ABC they personally oppose the gas extraction technique.
  • The ABC later contacted each of Labor's other five caucus members directly, with Mr Young, Mr Brown and Mr McGrath each providing statements outlining their personal opposition to fracking.
  • Mr Young, Territory Labor's former deputy leader until he was dumped and replaced by Mr Smelt in June, said he did not support fracking, mainly due to concerns over climate change.

4 sentences from our version of the report, chosen to cover it. Nothing here is written; every line is in the article below. How

Most Territory Labor's caucus have contradicted the party's official position on fracking as set out by Opposition Leader Selena Uibo, telling the ABC they personally oppose the gas extraction technique.

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Four of Labor's six MLAs in the Northern Territory parliament say they personally oppose fracking.

The stand-off comes just weeks after fracked gas from the Beetaloo Basin began flowing into the NT's energy grid.

Most Territory Labor's caucus have contradicted the party's official position on fracking as set out by Opposition Leader Selena Uibo, telling the ABC they personally oppose the gas extraction technique.

MLAs Dheran Young, Manuel Brown, Yiwarr McGrath and Chansey Paech all confirmed they personally oppose the practice, despite Ms Uibo saying last week Territory Labor supported a "strictly regulated" industry.

While in government, Labor imposed a moratorium on fracking before allowing the industry to proceed following the outcome of an independent inquiry led by Justice Rachel Pepper.

The ABC later contacted each of Labor's other five caucus members directly, with Mr Young, Mr Brown and Mr McGrath each providing statements outlining their personal opposition to fracking.

Mr Paech, meanwhile, has long been personally opposed to fracking and confirmed to ABC Radio Alice Springs earlier this month that his position remained unchanged.

Deputy Opposition Leader Ed Smelt did not respond to a request for comment, but when before asked for his views on fracking, said gas was needed as part of the energy transition.

Mr Young, Territory Labor's former deputy leader until he was dumped and replaced by Mr Smelt in June, said he did not support fracking, mainly due to concerns over climate change.

"Labor's platform is to cut emissions by 75 per cent below 2005 levels by 2035."

Shortened to 1 minute of reading, this version reads 5.1 on the Niral Score.

You are reading our version, not theirs. This is ABC News (Business)'s report shortened to its most important sentences, in plainer words, with verdicts and loaded words taken out. Plain description stays, and so do adjectives that carry a fact, such as "former" or "federal". The reporting, the facts and the quotations are theirs — quotations are never edited — and the indicators beside it measure this version. Hover or tap Adjectives to see every one left in the text.

How this outlet filed it, and how we rewrote it

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Outlet Niral ScoreAdjectivesSourcingSentimentHappiness
ABC News (Business)as they published this story 7.3 7 84 -0.1 48.1
Mundane Readneutralized from ABC News (Business) 6.3 6 84 -0.1 48.1

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