Pressure is mounting on the Berejiklian government to make good on its promise to extinguish fossil fuel extraction rights on the rich farmlands of the Liverpool Plains with two bills set to go before the NSW upper house.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro last week told farmers at Breeza, south of Gunnedah, that the government would follow up its $100 million buyout of plans for an open-cut coal mine by China’s Shenhua Corporation with purchases of petroleum exploration licences (PELs) held by Santos.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro’s comments suggesting the government will extinguish some but not all zombie petroleum licences are leaving regional and rural constituents in the dark and farming districts at risk.

North West NSW farmers have launched a legal appeal in the Land and Environment Court against the Independent Planning Commission’s approval of the destructive Santos Narrabri gasfield.

A national day of action will be held tomorrow (Thursday, December 3) as members of the Gomeroi/Gamilaroi/Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay Nation and their allies rally in opposition to Santos’ Narrabri gasfield, following Federal Government approval last week.

The Morrison Government’s approval of the Santos Narrabri gasfield has only strengthened the resolve of local Traditional Owners, farmers, and concerned community members to continue the fight against the destructive project.

North west NSW farmers say their worst fears are being realised as gas companies announce plans to raise so-called “zombie-PELs” from the dead in response to the Independent Planning Commission’s decision to greenlight the Santos Narrabri gasfield.

Farmers and Gomeroi Traditional Owners fighting the Santos Narrabri coal seam gasfield will ramp up the battle to protect their lands and precious water resources despite today’s disastrous IPC decision. 

Lock the Gate Alliance and north west NSW farmers have today slammed the Planning Department’s decision to label the destructive and polluting Santos Narrabri coal seam gas “approvable."

Lock the Gate Alliance has condemned the referral of Santos’ Narrabri coal seam gas project to the Independent Planning Commission just days after a Parliamentary Inquiry found there was a severe lack of information and regulation related to the industry.

“The Commission will be stabbing in the dark when it tries to make a decision on this destructive, polluting proposal,” Lock the Gate NSW spokesperson Georgina Woods said.

“Major flaws in regulation and knowledge of coal seam gas were identified by a parliamentary committee two weeks ago, yet Planning Minister Rob Stokes has not listened and has referred this project anyway.”

Despite water flow having no regard for borders, the Great Artesian Basin is managed by three states and the Northern Territory as a local water resource.

The current NSW Great Artesian Basin Water Sharing Plan expires on 1 July 2020 and Water in NSW, part of the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, has prepared a draft replacement plan. 

This week the department held public meetings in Moree, Bourke, Lightning Ridge and Coonamble, as part of the public exhibition phase.