The treatment of water produced from coal seam gas development in Queensland is expected to generate around five million tonnes of concentrated brine over its lifetime. Despite state and independent technical assessments identifying salt encapsulation facilities (SEFs) as a leading option for long-term brine management, public acceptance of such facilities remains uncertain and appears contingent on governance design, monitoring independence, and long-term liability arrangements. Drawing on focus groups with regional communities and the broader public, this study explores how people interpret brine risks, evaluate government and industry responses, and form expectations for long-term brine management. Findings suggest that concerns cluster around groundwater protection, intergenerational responsibility, and regulatory oversight accountability. This paper identifies the specific engagement, information, and governance conditions under which SEFs may become conditionally socially acceptable and clarifies where acceptance breaks down.
Witt et al. (Thu,) studied this question.