Dayne Pratzky

Dayne Pratzky is an Australian anti-fracking activist known colloquially as the Frackman. He is also the subject of a 2015 feature-length documentary film of the same name produced by Smith & Nasht.

A former tunnel-digger and resident of Sydney, Pratzky moved to Queensland in his thirties. He describes himself as an "accidental" activist who only started campaigning against fracking after seeing the encroachment of the coal seam gas industry on rural farming communities. Pratsky is not affiliated with any political party and has said that he will work with anyone who gets results.

Pratzky believes that the unconventional gas industry puts clean air and water resources in Australia at risk, and argues that exporting gas puts upwards pressure on domestic gas prices. He also believes that employment opportunities have been overstated by the industry and by Government and that payments made to landholders have not been equitable, given that affected properties have in some cases been rendered unsaleable.

Pratzky bought a 100 hectare block of land in the Wieambilla estates near Tara in what farmers call "goanna country" in 2004. In 2005 he was employed on Lane Cove Tunnel project in New South Wales where he sustained a back injury. He began receiving worker's compensation payments, and has been limited in his employment prospects since, despite having a strong will to work. What has been described as Queensland's most disadvantaged community became his home. There, Pratzky observed the community becoming divided and disenchanted as gas wells were established by QGC, a company later acquired by British Gas. He was presented with a land access agreement by QGC in 2009 and subsequently tore it up. He learned of health complaints suffered by children including nose-bleeds and headaches which locals believed were caused by the industry's impacts on air and groundwater quality.

In April 2009, Pratzky organised a four-day blockade of trucks and committed himself to anti-coal seam gas activism. He was trained in non-violent protest techniques by Drew Hutton, founder of Lock the Gate and a former Greens candidate. Kjerulf Ainsworth, son of pokie king Len Ainsworth, provided financial support for lawyers and equipment.

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