Announcing the plan at a Millbrook Estate near Millfield yesterday, Ms Keneally said Labor would, if re-elected, move to impose exclusion zones around valuable industries such as the Hunter’s thoroughbred and wine industries. Other measures would include a ban on the use of so-called ‘‘BTEX’’ chemicals in hydraulic fracturing or ‘‘fracking’’ for coal-seam gas extraction.

An audit of gas wells and drill sites in NSW would check compliance with approval conditions, and a coal and gas ombudsman would be appointed to investigate complaints.

The opposition labelled the plan a ‘‘five minutes to midnight attempt to muster a few votes’’ after years of inaction.

The NSW Minerals Council said it was deeply concerned about ‘‘an election-driven auction over the future of the [mining] industry’’ and the proposed exclusion zones, and said land-use decisions must instead be ‘‘scientific and evidence-based’’.

But The Hunter Valley Protection Alliance and the Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association welcomed the plan and said they wanted the Coalition to commit to exclusion zones in the region in addition to the policy it had already unveiled.

Ms Keneally said Labor would continue its efforts to upgrade science labs, and pledged $102million to finish the project with upgrades to about 200 schools, including high schools at Cardiff, Glendale, Toronto, Rutherford and Morisset and Wallsend’s Callaghan College.

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PREMIER Kristina Keneally trod in Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s campaign footprints when she walked Newcastle’s Darby Street yesterday.

Ms Keneally, along with Newcastle MP Jodi McKay, stopped and spoke with diners along the restaurant strip, which Ms Gillard also visited during her federal election campaigning last year.

For her efforts the Premier got a thumbs-up from visiting Tamworth resident Robert McGrady.

‘‘I’m going to vote for that lady,’’ he said.

Ms Keneally spoke with three New Lambton ladies at The Depot about hospital and education funding.

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