Speaking as the Palmer United Party leader he said Australia’s booming coal seam gas industry should take a breather to allow time for studies to be undertaken.

He hit out at the industry in response to a report by New South Wales chief scientist Mary O’Kane that highlighted concerns about the side-effects of CSG and called for more studies.

“Let’s take a breather on the coal seam gas industry,” Palmer said.

“This report raises serious questions about human health, the effects on the environment and water in particular, landholders’ legal rights and industry regulation and compliance.”

Palmer said all governments and companies involved in CSG should put personal interests on hold to support a thorough investigation into concerns raised around the industry.

“The wellbeing of communities where these projects are taking place is of paramount importance and they have a right to know about potential negative impacts.”

It is not the first time Palmer has taken up an attack against the CSG industry.

Speaking to a National Party conference in Canberra in 2011, Palmer said overseas CSG producers he had spoken to had raised concerns about operations here.

“They’re concerned that maybe the people who are doing it in Australia are not as skilled, not as well-trained and do not have the same technological background that they do,” the AFP quoted him as saying.

“The risk if they don't get that right is the contamination of the water table with things like arsenic and other carcinogens.”