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The South Australian Liberal Party has lived up to an election promise by announcing an inquiry into a shale gas industry proposed for the south-east.

The Opposition last month drew criticism for voting against a Greens motion for a parliamentary inquiry after promising to support one prior to the state election in March.

It argued that the Greens motion would affect the entire state and not just the south-east where exploratory drilling and fracking had been taking place on two sites near Penola.

The region was heavily earmarked by the State Government for shale gas extraction - a form of mining that relies entirely on the controversial process of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking - sparking wide-spread protests from farmers, vignerons, local government and community members concerned about groundwater.

Mount Gambier Liberal MP Tony Bell planned to move a motion for an inquiry in the Lower House next week, where it would require the support of independents Geoff Brock and Martin Hamilton-Smith, a former Liberal, to succeed.

The South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy criticised the Liberals' push, saying it was playing into the hands of a group of "hardcore greens activists".

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the Government would not support the motion and either would the two independents - both of whom held positions in Labor's Cabinet.

But Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said his party's motivation for a parliamentary inquiry was to ease community concern about the issue.

"I don't think there's anything that anybody should fear about this," he said.

"In fact, I think that the companies involved should welcome this because I think it will allow everybody a chance for their information to be put on the table."

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SA Liberals to push for fracking inquiry as stakeholders blame 'hardcore greens activists'

Liberals are breaking their own climate change commitments
New Democrat Leader John Horgan explains how the Liberal government promised the cleanest liquefied natural gas industry in the world, but are ignoring 70 pe...

By: BCNDPCaucus

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Liberals are breaking their own climate change commitments - Video

Stymied: Rockdale Mayor Shane O'Brien says the money from the car park sale will be used to pay for a $35 million aquatic centre and a $17 million library. Photo: John Veage

A mayor has accused his political opponents of holding him to political ransom, after they have repeatedly walked out of meetings in an attempt to stop a $50-million carpark sale.

Rockdale Council has received an offer of $48 million for its Chapel Street car park, significantly more than its book value of $12 million, mayor Shane O'Brien said.

But on Wednesday night, council's six Liberals and one independent did not attend the meeting to approve the sale. It was abandoned due to a lack of quorum.

It is the sixth time that this has happened since September, councillors said and every time it has coincided with the car park sale being on the agenda.

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"I wouldn't mind if they just voted it down," Cr O'Brien said. "But for some reason they're walking out or not showing up. They're trying to create a sense of crisis and holding ratepayers to ransom."

The mayor says the money worth about two-thirds of council's yearly income would be used to pay for two major planned pieces of infrastructure: a $35 million aquatic centre and a $17 million library.

Council voted unanimously for the library, construction of which will soon be underway, and a motion to invite businesses to tender for a new aquatic centre passed without opposition in May.

The old, leaking Bexley pool has been closed.

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Rockdale Council: Liberals 'holding ratepayers to ransom'

By The Canadian Press

CONCEPTION BAY SOUTH, N.L. - Newfoundland and Labrador's Tory premier has lost his first major test in a byelection, with the defeat of his party's candidate in a Progressive Conservative stronghold.

Liberal Rex Hillier took a narrow victory in the district of Conception Bay South, west of St. John's, on Wednesday evening, defeating Tory candidate Barry Petten.

Unofficial results from Elections Newfoundland and Labrador had Hillier with 2102 votes and Petten at 2026 after all 44 polls were counted.

The NDP's Cameron Mercer-Maillet ran a distant third, with just 130 votes.

The district is next door to the riding held by Paul Davis, who was sworn in as premier on Sept. 26.

The Tory government has now lost five straight byelection to the Opposition Liberals in the last 16 months, four of them in districts held by former cabinet ministers.

With the Liberal win, there are 29 Progressive Conservative members, 14 Liberals, three N-D-P and two vacant seats.

Political scientists have said Conception Bay South was a must-win for a government that has seen a series of cabinet ministers depart politics over the last year amid leadership struggles and a slide in the polls.

The riding was held by former justice minister Terry French, who retired from politics in September.

Excerpt from:
Liberals take Newfoundland byelection

Two Liberal Members of Parliament have been kicked out of their partys caucus over what Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau describes as allegations of personal misconduct that were made by two MPs from another party.

After nearly a week of internal reviews, the Liberals sent a letter to House of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer requesting an independent investigation. (Read the Liberal letter to the Speaker)

CP Video Nov. 05 2014, 3:01 PM EST

The allegations involve two New Democrat MPs, according to sources. NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair declined to identify which MPs made the allegations or what party they were members of.

In a brief statement to the media, Mr. Mulcair said MPs should be able to work free from harassment in Parliament.

Were deeply saddened by these serious allegations, Mr. Mulcair told reporters, flanked by four fellow MPs, including the partys two caucus chairs, its status of women critic and its womens caucus chair.

Members of Parliament from all parties have to take these matters seriously. Here on Parliament Hill and in any workplace, women have a right to be in a secure work environment. Everyone who works in these places has a right to be in a secure work environment free of harassment, he said.

Mr. Mulcair said he wouldnt comment further to respect the privacy of those involved.

MPs Scott Andrews and Massimo Pacetti, who Mr. Trudeau said deny the allegations, will now sit as independents.

Mr. Andrews, 39, has represented Avalon, a riding in eastern Newfoundland, since 2008. Mr. Pacetti, 52, has represented the Montreal riding Saint-LonardSaint-Michel since 2002.

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Liberals suspend two MPs over personal misconduct allegations