By OLIVER BROWN 

THE controversial Narrabri Gas Project has once again hit headlines after the new federal Minister for Resources voiced her hopes that the project would go ahead. 

Yesterday (Wednesday June 15), Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King told the Sydney Morning Herald that a bigger energy crisis was ahead of Australia if new gas fields like the Narrabri project in northern NSW do not go ahead. 

Ms King confirmed with the Western Plains App today that the Australian government was committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 but gas was seen as an important energy source during the transition between coal and renewables. 

"Gas is able to ensure reliability and security of energy supply as coal generation comes to an end," she said. 

"Gas developments have the potential to supply the increased demand for gas generation during the energy transition, as will greater investment in renewables and energy storage. 

"If developments like Narrabri stack up environmentally and commercially, and receive necessary approvals, then they should go ahead." 



When approached for comment, Santos Managing Director and CEO Kevin Gallagher said Santos had spent more than A$1.5 billion and around a decade trying to get the Narrabri Gas Project approved and developed. 

"We know that customers are crying out for this gas and we have greater demand than we will be able to meet when the project comes online.  

"We are trying our best to support the market and will continue to work with our customers on the Narrabri Gas Project.  

 "Over the last few years Santos has been working hard to incorporate the learning from our Queensland operations to reduce the costs of the Narrabri project and also to realise the efficiencies." 

Many First Nations and environmental organisations who have long opposed the Narrabri Gas Project have quickly spoken out against the minister's comments. 

“There has been resistance to Santos’ project for more than a decade, and that’s not going to change just because Ms King wants it to," Karra Kinchela, a Gomeroi Traditional Owner from Narrabri said. 

"She’s underestimating the determination of groups who are opposed to the gasfield if she thinks we’re just going to let Santos bulldoze the Pilliga." 

Meanwhile, Liverpool Plains farmer Scott McCalman, whose property is covered by a recently-renewed Santos-owned coal seam gas exploration licence, said Ms King’s comments were disappointing given the new Albanese government had been voted in with a mandate to boost renewable energy. 

“The government was voted in because people want change, they want commitment to address climate change and they want our energy network to facilitate that change, and not be reliant on coal seam gas.  

Drilling for gas and supporting Santos’ project at Narrabri is extremely short-sighted,” he said. 

“The Santos gasfield would be a costly, and environmentally damaging exercise and, being years off production, it can’t play any role in the current energy crisis." 

The Nature Conservation Council also weighed in on the Minister's comments. 

Chief Executive Chris Gambian said he had invited Ms King to visit and tour the Pilliga forest with him to see what would be at stake if the project was allowed to go ahead. 

“Fossil fuel companies must not be allowed to profit from this temporary energy crisis by locking in a long-term increase in their emissions,” he said. 

 “Santos’s Narrabri gas project threatens water supplies, endangered wildlife and will lock in decades of climate pollution when we need to slashing emissions as fast as possible.  

“Even the International Energy Agency—hardly a green-left radical outfit—says if governments are serious about the climate crisis, there can be no new investments in oil, gas and coal, from this year." 

Ms Kinchela also said Ms King's public support of the project was also disrespectful, given the future of the project was currently undergoing a Native Title Tribunal process, with Gomeroi Traditional Owners voting almost unanimously against the project earlier this year. 

Ms King has since clarified it would only make sense for the Narrabri Gas Project to go ahead provided it meets all the required environmental standards and received the necessary approvals, including the Native Title process. 

"After a lost decade of energy policy chaos, we should all be considering what investments in gas and renewables and storage are needed now to ensure our long term energy security," she said. 

“The final investment decision for the Narrabri project is expected in 2023 with first gas in 2026, if the project goes ahead.”