Whatever happened to Metgasco Limited?

After Metgasco Limited left the NSW Northern Rivers region with its pockets stuffed full of compensation dollars because local communities resisted its efforts to create a coal seam gas industry in the middle of biodiverse, culturally rich and productive rural landscapes, it temporarily sank from sight.

Now it has reared its head in Queensland as this mining corporation was; successful in its bid for tender areas PLR 2015-5-16 and PLR 2015-5-19, which were offered under a competitive tender by the Queensland Government in the Cooper/Eromanga Basins. Metgasco’s move into the Cooper Basin secures high quality exploration opportunities proximal to delivery infrastructure in mature producing basins. An Authority to Prospect will be granted after Native Title agreements and other environmental approvals are satisfactorily completed. Metgasco has engaged expert consultants to assist in timely and effective engagement with the Wongkumara community as well as with the application for an Environmental Authority.

According to Metgasco:

Tender area PLR 2015-5-19 covers an area of approximately 370km2 and is located in the southern Cooper Basin, adjacent to the South Australian (SA) border. Right across the state boundary there are numerous Permian gas fields, with both structural and stratigraphic traps. Drilling density on the Queensland side is much lower, although this prolific SA trend extends into tender area PLR 2015-5-19.

Tender area PLR 2015-5-16 has an area of 530km2 and is located in the south-east Cooper Basin about 65 km southwest of the town of Eromanga. The block occupies the central and southern parts of a prominent north-south regional high feature that includes the Mt Howitt, Wareena, Kercumurra and Hooley high structures.

Metgasco appears to be partly or wholly exploring on land over which the Wongkamara peoples hold Native Title.

The company has another project underway in the Gulf of Mexico where it has acquired farm-in rights from Byron Energy Ltd in exchange for an est. A$1.3m investment – thereby deploying  approx. 27% of Metgasco’s current financial resources.

Peter Henderson, the CEO that Metgasco let go in May 2016 with a $300,000 handshake, was last heard of looking for work with Perth-based Tap Oil Limited.

Turnbull Government will increase support for gas industry and coal seam gas exploration if re-elected on 2 July 2016

It has come to my attention that a number of people living on the NSW North Coast believe that the threat of coal seam gas mining in the Northern Rivers region has gone away because communities so successfully resisted Metgasco Limited’s commercial plans to create gasfields in our midst.

Unfortunately, although the immediate threat may have abated the longer-term threat remains all the same, as these excerpts from the 6 June 2016 address to an Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) conference by Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia Josh Frydenberg clearly show:

I’d like to acknowledge my fellow speakers, APPEA Chairman, Bruce Lake, APPEA Director and Country Chair for Shell Australia, Andrew Smith, and the Honourable Dr Anthony Lynham MP.

I would also like to acknowledge APPEA more generally, and its CEO in particular, Dr Malcolm Roberts, for their constructive engagement and contribution to good policy that is in the national interest.

It’s great to join you for your annual conference, my first since being appointed Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia.

Since that time I have always sought to:

·         highlight the incredible contribution you make to Australia’s economic performance;

·         be a passionate advocate for the work your members do to support jobs and grow the Australian economy;

·         celebrate the successes of the industry, including first gas at APLNG and Gladstone LNG on the East coast and at Gorgon on the West coast; and

·         champion the extraordinary innovation in the sector, from Shell’s Prelude FLNG facility to the autonomous underwater vehicles operating on the ocean floor at the Pluto project.

These early experiences have highlighted the importance of building on Australia’s strong international reputation as a reliable energy supplier and attractive place to invest, as well as the innovative and resilient nature of the people working in the sector….

Importantly, our LNG export capacity will continue to ramp up through several new projects which have recently commenced production and further projects which are under construction and due to come online over the next few years.

These projects together total around $200 billion in capital investment.

They include three Coal Seam Gas based LNG projects in Queensland (Queensland Curtis LNG, Gladstone LNG and Australia-Pacific LNG) which commenced production over 2015 and early 2016….

The continued sustainable development of the nation’s mineral and energy resources is a priority for the Turnbull Government.

Our policies will:

·         cut red tape, including streamlining environmental approvals processes;

·         drive jobs and growth by cutting taxes;

·         create new market opportunities;

·         de-risk exploration;

·         support innovation; and

·         increase community engagement and understanding.

We stand by our record since being elected.

The carbon tax is gone; so is the mining tax.

In just two years, we have cut more than $4 billion per annum in red tape.

The Coalition remains committed to one-stop-shops for onshore environmental assessments and approvals, having achieved it for offshore petroleum activities in Commonwealth waters…..

At the same time as we create new export opportunities, we are very focused on attracting greater investment by de-risking exploration.

We understand that exploration is a necessity for the industry – and that’s why we are committed to making Australia as competitive as possible.

As announced in the Budget, the Government will provide $100 million to fund the Exploring for the Future programme to be delivered through Geoscience Australia over the next four years.

Exploring for the Future will produce a resources prospectus covering targeted areas of northern Australia and parts of South Australia.

This programme will deliver new pre-competitive geoscience to assist industry in better targeting onshore areas likely to contain the next major oil, gas and mineral deposits…..

Firstly, our Growth Centre Initiatives.

National Energy Resources Australia (NERA) was launched earlier this year, and is one of six industry-led Growth Centres.

The Growth Centres are tasked with driving collaboration, innovation, and international competitiveness in targeted areas of competitive strength and strategic priority in the Australian economy.

The sector focus for NERA is oil, gas, coal and uranium – Australia-wide – and covering the full breadth of industry activities from exploration and development, construction, drilling, production and operations, to decommissioning…..

The Coalition has committed $15.4 million over four years to NERA with an additional $17.2 million for Project Funds to be matched by industry on projects with sector impact…..

APPEA plays an important role in enhancing the transparency around industry activities. At the last COAG Energy Council, I proposed and the Council agreed that APPEA would produce an annual unconventional gas activities report to provide a consistent, national information source on activities across all jurisdictions.

Among other things, this report will include, where available, the number of wells drilled, the number of land access agreements in force, the extent and type of community engagement, and the contribution unconventional gas activities make to government revenues.

But we must also acknowledge that there are members of the community that have raised concerns about the processes involved in developing gas from unconventional sources.

These concerns must be discussed and addressed if we are to successfully develop the new gas supplies necessary to support Australian homes, businesses and the broader economy.

The Coalition has been consistent in its support for the responsible development of unconventional gas strongly underpinned by the best available science……

To further our commitment to better inform the community of the scientific evidence in this area, today I announce that the Turnbull Government will make $4 million available for the CSIRO to undertake further research and to engage with the community using the Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance, or GISERA model….

State-specific research programs will be established in partnership with State Governments and industry that wish to work with the Turnbull Government to address community questions.

In particular, GISERA will address community concerns by:

conducting new research in key areas such as surface and groundwater, agricultural land management, biodiversity and socioeconomic impacts and opportunities;

·         establishing a Regional Advisory Committee;

·         implementing a communications program using trusted science-based information;

·         generating advice for governments and industry;

·         improving community understanding of the benefits and impacts of onshore gas development; and

·         strengthening the linkages to key stakeholder groups in gas development regions.

We know that there is no substitute for community engagement and robust science if we are to bring more gas to the market.

I look forward to working with my State and Territory counterparts, and the companies operating in each state, to expand GISERA wherever there are communities that would benefit from scientific research into unconventional gas activities…..

It is clear that your industry is absolutely critical to the continued strength of the Australian economy.

As we now continue the transition to the production phase of the current resources boom, and look to take advantage of future opportunities, we must not compromise all the hard work and investment that has got us to this point.

Sadly, under pressure from the Greens, the Labor party has managed to destroy the vital bipartisanship which existed for over a decade under Ian MacFarlane, Gary Gray and Martin Ferguson in this area of national economic importance.

Australian Financial Review, 26 April 2016:

Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg has acknowledged as recently as last month that the gas market needs to be reformed but, on the back of the ACCC report, has suggested the answer lies in pipeline regulation and moving away from blanket moratoriums on "certain" gas developments – meaning bans on CSG developments – which should instead be managed case by case. 

The Sydney Morning Herald, 7 June 2016:

The big environmental issue of the last NSW election was coal seam gas. And while the gas industry and its lobbyists keep waiting for the controversy to go away, gas looks set to play a major role in the federal election too.

To recap, the NSW government's support of CSG hit the Nationals hard at the state election. They lost one formerly safe seat and lost another. The Libs took notice – CSG info sessions were then held in Northern Sydney Liberal branches.

The government killed off some gas projects, hoping to put gas on the – ahem – back burner, but recent events continue to turn up the heat in NSW and beyond…..

It's a point worth thinking about. No matter how much gas we produce, our prices are now linked to the Asian market.

The gas industry knew this, of course. In fact, companies like Santos boasted to investors that opening up gas exports would mean they could charge Australian gas users global prices.

The industry said nothing, however, to governments. The Economic Impact Assessments submitted to state planning agencies barely mentioned the impact on Australian gas prices.

Australian manufacturers have been hard hit. They now compete with foreign buyers of gas and can pay double or triple previous contract prices. The ACCC found that for a period no gas suppliers would make gas available to Australian manufacturers. 

Deloitte Access Economics found that the increase in gas prices as a result of CSG exports could cost manufacturers $118 billion by 2021, most of which will go to the gas companies in a $81 billion windfall.

The salt in the wound for manufacturers is their lobbyists let this happen. After insisting CSG was an "exciting opportunity", last year Innes Willox, head of the Australian Industry Group admitted that they had "sleepwalked into gas exports".

With so much interest in gas issues and voters clearly ready to punish politicians who get gas wrong, there is plenty at stake in the coming election.

The Greens position is simple – they oppose all CSG and most other gas developments.

The Coalition is in a difficult spot. Pro-industry Liberals are unlikely to sign up for anything the gas lobby doesn't want, but it isn't their voters that are likely to care.

The Nationals are still smarting from their electoral losses in NSW. They're the ones that will get burned if Greens and Labor can make local angst on gas count in federal electorates.

Labor senses this, pledging to extend the "water trigger", which makes more gas projects likely to need federal environmental approval. The gas industry responded with immediate condemnation.

COAL SEAM GAS: NSW Baird Government coming after the Northern Rivers once again with the support of Parliamentary Secretary for the North Coast Chris Gulaptis

NSW Nationals MP for Clarence and NSW Parliamentary Secretary for the North Coast, Chris Gulaptis, has endorsed the Baird Government's North Coast Regional Plan – stating in the foreword in this planning document:

The Draft North Coast Regional Plan is our proposed blueprint for the next 20 years and it is a plan for both the Mid North Coast and the Far North Coast. The draft Plan outlines a vision, goals and actions that focus on a sustainable future for the region as it grows that protects the environment, builds a prosperous community and offers attractive lifestyle choices for residents.

Unfortunately he and the state Liberal-Nationals government of which he is a member see the future of the region as being one in which the gas industry is again a major player.

Excerpts from NSW Coalition Government's 100-page Draft North Coast Regional Plan, March 2016:

Biophysical Strategic Agricultural Land on the North Coast was also mapped in 2014 as part of the NSW Government's Strategic Regional Land Use Policy. This land is capable of sustaining high levels of production for a variety of agricultural industries due to its high-quality soil and water resources. More than 248,000 hectares of this land has been mapped on the North Coast. The policy requires that any significant mining or coal seam gas proposals on this land have to be scrutinised through the independent Gateway process, before a development application can be lodged….

The North Coast also includes areas of the Clarence-Moreton Basin, which has potential coal seam gas resources that may be able to support the development and growth of new industries and provide economic benefits for the region….

The NSW Department of Industry is mapping coal and coal seam gas resources in the region. Once completed, this information will inform future regional and local planning by providing updated information on the location of resource….

The NSW Government will:….. identify and plan for the infrastructure needs and requirements of the resources and energy sector….

NOTE:

The Gateway process which the Plan mentions was in place from 2012 onwards. A period in which Metgasco Limited's plan to create gasfields and at least one gas production facility on regionally significant farmland (with high fertility soils) in the Northern Rivers was supported by both Coalition state and federal government.

Neither the toothless Gateway process nor the Mining and Petroleum Gateway Panel (both parts of the wider Strategic Regional Land Use Policy) appear to have applied the brake to any Metgasco development applications lodged and approved in order to sink coal seam gas test wells and, under Part 3A of the NSW Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 inhibit progress the now defunct West Casino Gas Project.

The Federal Government's 2014 Catalogue of potential resource developments stated:

All developments within the Clarence‑Moreton bioregion are currently at the pre‑environmental impact statement (EIS) stage. However, subject to regulatory approval, the West Casino Gas Project may move towards an EIS within the time frames considered by the bioregional assessment.

While I was away........

After a prolonged absence from blogging due to illness, here is a little catchup from the period July to December 2015.

* NSW Premier and Liberal MP for Manly Mike Baird puts "lipstick on a pig" by calling for an increase in the Goods & Service Tax (GST) to 15 per cent. 

* The community consultation dialogue between ratepayers and Clarence Valley Council over proposed consecutive rate rises every year for the next five years remained as colourful as ever:

______________

* One of Australia’s most influential women, former Federal Labor MP for Page Janelle Saffin announced she will be standing against sitting Nationals MP Kevin Hogan at the 2016 federal election. [Echo Netdaily, 23 September 2015]

_______________

* Clarence Valley Council changed its logo to:

And not everyone was happy.               

        _______________

* Coal seam gas company Metgasco Limited finally bowed to people power and walked away from its exploration leases on the NSW North Coast with a state government compensation cheque totaling $25 million in its back pocket:

http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20151204/pdf/433l1v4zvxvk8v.pdf

http://search.asx.com.au/s/search.html?query=mel&collection=asx-meta&profile=web

_______________

* The NSW Nationals used Twitter to take credit for Metgasco’s capitulation – which saw a predictable response:

_______________

* The strength of NSW gun laws was demonstrated to a retiree living on Palmer's Island in the Clarence Valley:

Full decision at https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/567386b1e4b05f2c4f04a307.

_______________

* On 17 December 2015 The Daily Examiner published an article titled The 600 major companies that paid less tax than you, but neglected to tell its readers that it was owned by one of these very same companies, APN NEWS & MEDIA  LTD, which had an income of $310.3 million in the 2013-14 financial year.  A total of $21.2 million of this was considered taxable income, yet this company had no tax payable listed for that financial year.

http://data.gov.au/dataset/c2524c87-cea4-4636-acac-599a82048a26/resource/237d7ede-3a63-4b9b-9434-2f79b9d70ce8/download/2013-14-Corporate-Report-of-Entity-Tax-Information.xlsx

_______________

* That one-time darling of the Liberal-Nationals federal government, Kathy Jackson, got her comeuppance:

The disgraced union leader declared bankruptcy in June, on the opening day of HSU Federal Court proceedings which resulted in her being ordered to pay $1.4m to the union as compensation for up to $2.5m misappropriated from members while she was its national secretary between 2008 and February this year.

But her discharge from bankruptcy will only remain in place for three years, meaning the HSU may be able to continue to recoup some of the money she owes after that time.

On Tuesday, Ms Jackson's bill increased by $997,349, when judge Richard Tracey ordered she pay $554,215.67 in interest, $356,500 in legal costs and $86,633.81 in appeal costs.

Brisbane-based commercial barrister Gavin Handran, listed in the most recent Doyles Guide as one of Australia's leading insolvency and reconstruction junior counsels, said Ms Jackson solicited bankruptcy too early.

"The order for costs, circa $350,000, made by Justice Tracey on 21 December is not a debt provable in her bankruptcy even though it relates to a damages award made before bankruptcy," Mr Handran said. "The HSU may accordingly enforce that order against her, perhaps resulting in her again becoming bankrupt or surrendering any assets she acquires in the interim, after her current bankruptcy ends." Mr Handran said the law applied differently to interest and costs. "She might be safe with the interest," he said.

"I suspect what Kathy Jackson did, like so many in her troubled circumstances, was that she ran off on first day and filed for bankruptcy. That was premature.

"It's particularly important for the HSU workers to understand that she's not out of the woods. The sword still hangs over her head." "Not only does she face the real prospect of re-entering bankruptcy after she emerges from this period, but there's also the possibility that the HSU, depending on a cost-benefit analysis, may examine her under oath in the Federal Court, with the assistance of the bankruptcy trustee, to ascertain whether she's transferred any assets to a third party or (her partner, Michael) Lawler." HSU national secretary Chris Brown said the union was "alive to the possibility" of Ms Jackson facing a second round of bankruptcy, or interrogation over the transfer of assets. The union was still determining how it would approach the matter. [The Australian, 24 December 2015, p.5]

                                                                 _______________

* NSW Coalition Premier Mike Baird thought his ability to waste $500,000 of taxpayers' money deserved a tweet or two:

Go to http://www.stonersloth.com.au/ to see the Australian version of Reefer Madness that Baird signed off on.

_______________

There were 222 industrial disputes in Australia during the year ended September 2015, involving 78,000 individuals in a workforce of est. 11.7 million people. The majority of these ‘strikes’ appear to have lasted 2 days or less.

This low level of disputes does not please former prime minister Tony Abbott who, living in a time long past, argued in December 2015 for a tougher approach to breaking up illegal union pickets, saying police forces “around our country” had to be prepared to “uphold the law and not simply keep the peace … A lot of police forces have been traditionally reluctant to break picket lines where picket lines have been preventing people from going about their ordinary lawful business”.

                                                                  _______________

* Royal Commissioner Dyson Heydon delivered his discredited final report on union governance and corruption to the Australian Governor-General on 28 December. The full report can be found at: https://www.tradeunionroyalcommission.gov.au/reports/Pages/default.aspx.

It came as no surprise that Dyson Mr.Apprehended Bias 2015 Heydon decided that Kathy Jackson was really a hero who just happened to embezzle over $1.4 million dollars:

_______________

* The independent Q&A Review Final Report released in December 2015 appears to have discovered that this ABC program is skewed in favour of the government of the day:

Conservative flying monkeys dropped from Australian skies in shock.

_______________

* WorkChoices Mark 2 appears to be forming on the horizon ahead of this year’s federal election:

http://www.afr.com/news/politics/scott-morrison-flags-taking-industrial-relations-reform-to-next-election-20151215-gloika

Former workplace relations minister Eric Abetz says the Fair Work Commission cannot ignore calls to reduce Sunday penalty rates, if as expected the Productivity Commission recommends the move on Monday.

Senator Abetz was the workplace relations minister until the Liberal leadership change and cabinet reshuffle in September.

Speaking ahead of the Productivity Commission's release of its final report into the industrial relations system, he told Fairfax Media the review must be respected by the Fair Work Commission which sets wages and entitlements. [The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 December 2015]

The recommendations — laid out in the commission's final report into workplace relations released on Monday — would affect workers in the entertainment, hospitality and retail industries, if adopted.

The commission did not recommend any changes to overtime penalty rates, night penalty rates or shift loadings, nor changes to rates for nurses, teachers or emergency services workers.

"Penalty rates have a legitimate role in compensating employees for working long hours or at asocial times," it stated.

"However, Sunday penalty rates for hospitality, entertainment, retailing, restaurants and cafes are inconsistent across similar work, anachronistic in the context of changing consumer preferences, and frustrate the job aspirations of the unemployed and those who are only available for work on Sunday.

"Rates should be aligned with those on Saturday, creating a weekend rate for each of the relevant industries."

Announcing the report's findings, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash said the Government would examine the recommendations and, if the case for sensible and fair changes to workplace relations were outlined, they would be taken to the next election. [ABC News, 21 December 2015]

ACT Liberal senator Zed Seselja said the Coalition should argue for a cut in Sunday penalty rates at next year's election.

"The Productivity Commission has done some really important work here," Senator Seselja he said.

"I think that we should be looking to put some policies to the next election which make incremental reforms in this area that go down the path the Productivity Commission is recommending.

"In the hospitality industry, in particular, that's where I hear the most from business owners, that's where I think the reforms should be occurring, and I think that's the sort of thing that we could develop a policy to take to an election." [ABC News, 21 December  2015]

Pharmacists in Australia have voted to launch industrial action for the first time, starting Christmas Eve, as a national pharmacy chain moves to slash penalty rates. It comes amid tense debate over a proposed Australia-wide rollback of Sunday penalty rates for workers in hospitality, retail and entertainment jobs, following an inquiry by the Productivity Commission. Pharmacists employed at dozens of National Pharmacies sites across Victoria and South Australia will now become the first in their profession to take action against an employer, as anger rises over threats to their penalty rates. From Thursday, pharmacists will embark on a campaign against National Pharmacies, authorising strikes of up to 24 hours that could force the temporary closure of some sites if the deadlock continues. The campaign this week will begin with pharmacists refusing to perform a range of work duties. National Pharmacies is attempting to cut pharmacists' penalty rates by as much as 50 per cent for certain hours on Saturday shifts. Double-time Sunday rates would remain in place. The company also wants to lower overtime pay, freeze the wages of existing pharmacists and introduce a two-tiered pay scheme, according to the union. In a statement, National Pharmacies said the pressures of a competitive and uncertain marketplace had forced a need to align with the rest of the industry. [The Sydney Morning Herald, 23 December 2015, p.4]

_______________

* It became obvious that local thoughts had begun to turn to the 2016 election of councillors:

   

                                                             
Excerpts from Clarence Valley Rate Payers, Residents and Business Owners Facebook page - featuring Deputy Mayor Cr. Craig Howe & the artwork of a ratepayer.

_______________

With the national terrorism threat level still fixed as "PROBABLE" by the Turnbull Government, DIBP and presumably many in Border Farce took an eleven day Chrissie holiday:

_______________

On 29 December The Guardian reported that the Turnbull ministry is three and a half months old and already there are two casualties. One looks fairly straightforward. The other, not so. In both cases, Malcolm Turnbull is well rid of them under the circumstances….

Jamie Briggs resigned after he “interacted” with a female public servant in an “informal manner” in a late night bar on an overseas trip. She complained he had acted inappropriately…..

The other casualty was Mal Brough, the former special minister of state. This is more opaque and the stink has a potential to linger given Brough has promised only to step aside, not resign…..

Background on Mal Brough “stink” by barrister Ross Bowler.

_______________

We'll see what NSW National Party MPs are made of as a party member pushes for Megasco to commence drilling for tight gas on one of his farms

Northern Rivers communities and Bentley in particular need to keep a sharp eye on National Party MPs, particularly those with electorates on the North Coast, as it appears that former Lismore City councillor National Party member Peter Graham may be trying to play the political mates card in order to activate the terms of his access agreement with coal seam & tight gas miner Metgasco Limited.

Echo Netdaily 27 April 2015:

A Bentley landowner is hoping the state government will support any moves by gas mining company Metgasco to begin exploring for gas on his property.

Farmer Peter Graham, a former Lismore city councillor, signed an access agreement with Metgasco in January 2012, which covered his family’s land at Bentley.

Before any drilling could take place, thousands of protestors set up camp on land adjacent to the Graham’s property, vowing to stop any drill rigs from entering.

With reports of up 800 police set to ‘break’ the Bentley blockade, the state government announced that it was suspending Metgasco’s drilling license.

Last week, however, the NSW Supreme Court overturned that decision, describing it as unlawful.

Now Mr Graham wants Metgasco to get on with the job, arguing NSW Premier Mike Baird was supportive of the industry.

‘Throughout the state election both Labor and the Greens were saying that Mike Baird was supportive so I assume that support is still there,” Mr Graham told ABC radio.

He rejected claims that there was no gas shortage, saying NSW was buying gas from Queensland instead of developing a local industry.

Mr Graham said he was concerned that local Federal National MP Kevin Hogan and state National MP Chris Galaptis had spoken out against the industry.

‘It does concern me and I have to talk to my National Party friends.

‘I need to sit down and talk with them, and the industry needs to sit down and talk with them,’ he said......

Coal seam & tight gas miner Metgasco Limited puts a dollar price on walking away from its NSW North Coast exploration leases

Metgasco chief executive Peter Henderson said they would be seeking compensation for the year-long suspension of the drilling licence and all associated losses of the suspension, which could run as high as $15 million.

Mr Henderson said Metgasco would require a further $110m if the company was forced to exit its operations in the state’s north.

[The Australian, 27 April 2015]

One hundred and ten million dollars is a small price to pay to protect an existing NSW North Coast^* regional economy which annually contributes an estimated $20.6 billion plus to the Gross State Product (GSP) or 15% of the total NSW GSP.

In 2012-13 the Northern Rivers^** (where Metgasco has its exploration leases) contributed $13.6 billion in Gross Regional Product (GRP) to the North Coast regional economy, in large part via its tourism, agribusiness-forestry, manufacturing and commercial fishing sectors.

* Local Government Areas: Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Gloucester, Great Lakes, Greater Taree, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Richmond Valley, Tweed.

** Local Government Areas: Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Tweed.

NSW Supreme Court rejected CSG miner Metgasco's contention that the NSW Government acted unreasonably in finding its community consultation process "inherently ineffective"

Excerpt from Metgasco Limited v Minister for Resources and Energy [2015] NSWSC 453 (24 April 2015):

74.          Fourthly, to the extent that Metgasco submitted that it was unreasonable for the Delegate to find that the consultation undertaken was inherently ineffective, in the sense of lacking attributes and qualities that would make it efficacious, I respectfully reject that submission. The Delegate was entitled, by way of more than one pathway leading to the guidelines, to consider whether Metgasco had engaged in consultation that could be characterised as being effective in its attributes but not its results. That includes whether the community consultation plan was sufficient. I do not propose to engage in an impermissible review of the merits of that decision; to my mind it was not so unreasonable to be amenable to judicial review. It follows that, if this were the only ground upon which Metgasco relied, I would not intervene on the basis of it.

Coal seam and tight gas miner Metgasco Limited sets out on a deliberate collision course with Northern Rivers communities yet again

Coal seam and tight gas miner Metgasco Limited sets out on a deliberate collision course with Northern Rivers communities yet again and, just as before, it intends to drag the NSW Government and police along for the ride.

The Sydney Morning Herald 24 April 2015:

Energy company Metgasco says it will need police to escort gas drilling equipment onto its site on the NSW north coast following a court victory overturning a suspension imposed on it by the state government.

Chief executive Peter Henderson said protesters would return to the site at Bentley once the company seeks to start drilling in about three months' time.

"When we drill now we know there are going to be protesters and we will need police in there to uphold our rights," he said.

"Otherwise NSW will be the state of anarchy."….. [my red bolding]

The Northern Star 24 April 2015:

PROTESTERS will continue to fight Metgasco at Bentley even if the State Government passes legislation banning protests at drilling sites, Ian Gaillard says.

Mr Gaillard, of Gasfield Free Northern Rivers, said locals would not allow Metgasco to start drilling at Bentley and called on the State Government to revoke all gas licences…..

Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis has also expressed his unhappiness with the decision.

"I am extremely disappointed with the decision of the NSW Supreme Court to quash the decision of the NSW Government to suspend Metgasco's drilling licence at Bentley," Mr Gulaptis said.

"I will be urging the Minister to seek every opportunity to appeal this decision because I believe it is wrong."….

Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan says it would be "foolish" for Metgasco to consider returning to the region, adding the legal avenues over their licence suspension are far from exhausted.
Mr Hogan said he had been in touch with state colleagues who were already in talks with Resources and Energy Minister Anthony Roberts about grounds for an appeal. He said he was "extremely disappointed" by the news.
"We do not want CSG in the Northern Rivers and we need to do everything we can to make sure that is what happens.
"This isn't over, while they may be feel happy with the decision today, I don't think it's over legally and it's certainly not over as far as them coming back into our community to do what they want to do."
Mr Hogan added it would be "quite foolish" for Metgasco to consider returning to Bentley in the near future.
"I think this community has shown very strongly that they do not want coal-seam gas in this region," he said.
"While they have won this court case, there are still legal options for the state government to take, and the first one would be an appeal.
"I think the suspension should remain until that appeal is heard."

 Lismore City Mayor Jenny Dowell on Twitter:

Excerpt from NSW Greens media release 24 April 2015:

Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith said, “Despite the court victory, Metgasco should heed the clear message from the community that they want a gas field free Northern Rivers.  Metgasco should pack up and leave. “If Metgasco try to drill again, the community will resist and I will be standing with them.

The Knitting Nannas Against Gas (KNAG) on Facebook, 25 April 2015:

Excerpt from an editorial in The Northern Star, 25 April 2015:

If past history is anything to go by, protesters will likely be setting up camp at Bentley in the very near future.

So are we back to square one on this issue? Or has the government's election results on the Northern Rivers taught them any lessons?

Considering the government trumpeted its buy back of CSG licences during the last election campaign, perhaps they should extend it to the licence that covers Bentley.

Otherwise we are in for more of the same.

Another blockade at Bentley and the government forced to make the difficult decision of sending hundreds of police officers north, at taxpayers' expense, to remove thousands of protesters.

The NSW Supreme Court has delivered a sharp rebuke to the government which is going to cost them a lot of money.

But the circumstances that led them to the suspension still remain.

Comments published in The Northern Star on 25 April 2015:

Lynne Stebbing: There is going to be trouble!

Hugh Nicholson: This decision only relates to the way the government went about suspending Metgasco's license.

It has nothing to do with the reason for the suspension - namely Metgasco's failure to consult with the community. Go away Metgasco.

From Land Water Future tweet on 24 April 2015:

UPDATE

The Northern Star 27 April 2015:

Bentley landowners Meg and Peter Nielsen believe that if energy company Metgasco returns to the region public resistance will be even stronger than it was at last year's blockade.

"It will be on for young and old," Mr Nielsen declared.

"Our resolve will never turn. Metgasco would be absolutely foolish to try it again."

But the couple believes the NSW Government will "see common sense" before it comes to that.