Narrabri Gas Project Appeal Heads to Court

29 August 2021

Farmers and community members opposed to the Narrabri Gas Project in northern New South Wales will have their appeal against the approval of the project heard beginning on Monday 30th August 2021. 

Environmental Defenders Office is representing community group the Mullaley Gas and Pipeline Accord (MGPA) in the NSW Land and Environment Court. 

The Santos-owned project, involving hundreds of CSG wells over a 95,000-hectare area near Narrabri was approved by the state’s Independent Planning Commission (IPC) in September 2020. 

EDO lawyers will argue the IPC failed to properly consider the emissions from the gasfield’s impacts on the climate or the environmental impacts of proposed gas transmission pipelines that the project requires in order to proceed. 

The class 4 Judicial Review proceedings were lodged in December last year. 

EDO Managing Lawyer of Safe Climate (Corporate and Gas) Brendan Dobbie said: 

“Our clients will argue that the IPC’s decision to grant approval to the Narrabri Gas Project was not lawfully made. 

“This proposed project would contribute millions of tonnes (CO2 equivalent) of greenhouse gas emissions, and it is imperative that these impacts are properly assessed. 

“We argue the IPC also failed to consider the environmental impacts of a gas transmission pipeline that will be needed for the project to proceed. 

“Our clients will ask the court to find that the IPC’s decision was invalid.” 

Listen Online

Where: The hearing will take place online. Please contact the Land and Environment Court if you wish to tune in. Phone: 02 9113 8200; Email: [email protected]) 

When: Monday (August 30) – Wednesday (September 1), begins at 10am each day