Environmentalists have blasted Queensland's natural resources minister over his suggestions gas-fired power was the "fuel of the future" that would form the foundation of the state's electricity supply going forward.
But Anthony Lynham's comment has been praised by a peak gas industry body, which said gas would help ensure Queensland's energy security.
Speaking at a Local Government Association of Queensland conference on the Gold Coast on Wednesday, Dr Lynham said coal seam gas provided the "perfect co-existence model" as the Palaszczuk government aimed for its 2030 target of 50 per cent renewable energy.
During a forum of councillors and mayors from resource-rich areas of Queensland, Dr Lynham said gas was the "fuel of the future" that provided a reliable base load of power.
"If nature gives up, we've got to have something to switch on and gas is the ideal power source to do that," he said.
Lock the Gate spokesman Drew Hutton said that was a "short-sighted" view that showed a flagrant disregard for landholders dealing with coal seam gas mining on their properties.
"Minister Lynham's comments are a slap in the face for the many Queenslanders who are forced to deal with gas wells threatening their land, water and health," he said.
"Coal seam gas is having real-life, damaging impacts on so many Queensland landholders, who still have no legal right to stop wells being drilled on their land."
Mr Hutton said the emergence of battery storage technology meant reliable renewable energy alternatives that "don't sacrifice the land and water our agriculture relies on" would only become more viable.
"Landholders have no legal right in state or federal law to stop big mining companies from coming on to their land and drilling CSG wells," he said.
"It doesn't matter how important their land is to their livelihood, even in the case of high-value agricultural land, the coal seam gas companies win out.
"Farmers shouldn't have to put up a fight to protect the land and water they rely on to produce the food and fibre that sustains us all."
Mr Hutton said farming was a fundamental industry for which there was no alternative.
"Gas, on the other hand, is only one means to an end," he said.
"We have a clear alternative in the form of renewable energy, which doesn't sacrifice the land and water our agriculture industry needs."
But Gas Energy Australia chief executive John Griffiths said there was a "strong case" for gaseous fuels to be part of a transition towards a lower carbon-emitting electricity network.
"As Minister Lynham has said, Queensland natural gas is much cheaper and has significantly less greenhouse emissions than other energy sources," he said.
"(Dr Lynham) has rightly pointed out that it is not a matter of renewables or other lower emitting technologies, because gas can work with renewable energy sources.
"It is about ensuring the best lower emitting and lower polluting technology is available for each particular job."
