A NEW app has been launched to assist landholders calculate the amount of the compensation they are due as a result of gas developments.
GasFields Commission communications director Murray Cornish said the GasApp was a simple but effective tool that could calculate an estimate of compensation and provide other important information.
The GasApp took almost a year to create and then another six months of consultation, adjustment, fine tuning and more consultation before finally evolving into a market ready product.
“The formula needed to create a standardised compensation estimator was particularly challenging,” Mr Cornish said.
“Every property, business, family, development and negotiation is different in some way so the GasFields Commission decided to use a common valuation method to give users the most realistic experience possible.
“It’s not a legislative tool and it doesn’t give a legally binding result.
“What it does do is walk stakeholders through a process of assessment and information gathering that they will need to successfully negotiate a compensation agreement.”
An AgForce spokesman encouraged landholders to check out the new GasApp as it had a number of useful features, such as the ability to report any issues they may have with resources companies on their properties.
“The app also provides information about compensation agreements and an estimator that can help provide a baseline starting point for commercial negotiations with resources companies,” the AgForce spokesman said.
Mr Cornish said the commission had worked through the possible scenarios, tested it against existing agreements, took advice on adjustments and after more than a year of testing settled on a formula that represents a common and realistic estimate.
”It can’t take into account commercial negotiation skills or exceptional circumstances but it does give a robust baseline based on the information a user puts in,” he said.
The GasApp allows the GasFields Commission to tailor information and notifications to specific areas and keep users up to date with activity in their area. It also has a library of information already laid out for easy access and links to other government agencies where users can leave comments or raise concerns.