Vic farmers should veto CSG: Nats

Farmers should be able to veto coal seam gas activities on their property, the Victorian Nationals believe.

They're also arguing any benefits from fracking should be spent in the regions where the mining has taken place.

Nationals leader Peter Walsh said if CSG mining was ever in place in Victoria, farmers should be able to veto it.

"The Nationals support landowners having the right to say no to coal seam gas extraction activity on their property," he said on Wednesday.

Mr Walsh thinks the Victorian moratorium on CSG mining should be maintained until thorough scientific assessment and community consultation has been completed.

Greens MP Ellen Sandell said the Nationals' announcement could help them gain Green preferences to win the Gippsland South by-election in March, which will be a race between National and Liberal candidates.

"The voters of south Gippsland are deeply concerned about the impacts of fracking on their farmland and groundwater," Ms Sandell said.

"In the last state election we saw the Greens vote double and triple in some rural communities because we're the only party calling for a permanent moratorium on coal seam gas."

Friends of the Earth campaigns co-ordinator Cam Walker said communities should have the veto, not individual farmers.

"Giving individual farmers the right of veto will internalise conflict within communities and between neighbours, and benefit gas companies, who can shop around for landowners who are willing to sign access agreements," Mr Walker said.