Asset Energy (a subsidiary of BPH Energy) has lodged an application for a review of the decision to refuse an extension of the PEP-11 permit for off-shore drilling, with community groups and MPs expressing outrage that the issue is not yet dead in the water.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said he was “appalled” at the news that an appeal had been lodged with the Federal Court.
“I myself, the Central Coast community and the NSW Government have publicly opposed PEP-11 since 2017,” Crouch said.
“Former Deputy Premier John Barilaro rejected the permit officially on February 18, 2021.
“Deputy Premier Paul Toole reaffirmed our position by completely ruling out offshore exploration and mining for commercial purposes off the NSW coastline on February 23, 2022.
“The NSW Government stands resolute in our opposition to the PEP-11 permit and I strongly encourage Prime Minister Albanese to follow through with his commitment and again reject this permit for good.
“It is important that both NSW and Federal Governments stand together telling BPH Energy there is no place for oil and gas drilling off the coast of Sydney, the Central Coast and Newcastle.”
Member elect for Robertson, Gordon Reid, said the judicial process should run its course but Labor’s position on PEP 11 hasn’t changed.
“It was a position backed by the entire community and a position the former Prime Minister was dragged kicking and screaming to reluctantly adopt,” he said.
“Extending PEP-11 has never made sense from an economic, environmental, or energy perspective.”
Peter Morris, a Director of Save Our Coast, said the application to extend the lapsed exploration permit went through a rigorous determination process by the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA) and was rejected for many reasons.
“(It) is clearly not in Australia’s best interests; the health of our coast and our local economy are too important to risk for private profit.
“Whatever grounds provide the basis of the court challenge, it cannot realistically be about the confected ‘gas shortage’.
“Australia is the world’s largest exporter of gas and we should meet our own needs as a priority, not hand it all to profit-takers.
“Because of the time frame in getting PEP11 gas to market, the proposal (is) irrelevant to any consideration of current needs for domestic use and export.
“Both the outgoing and incoming governments made commitments to stopping PEP11 and the independent adjudicator followed due process to reach the same decision.
“This idea should stay buried.”
But BPH Energy Executive Chairman, David Breeze, said the current gas shortage in NSW made it “logical” for exploration to proceed.
“We have applied to the Federal Court to set aside refusal of our application to renew and we have strong reasons to do so,” Breeze told Coast Community News.
“There is a gas crisis along the east coast, businesses are threatened and there is an acute need for more gas.
“Ours is a gas project.
“We have drilled safely in the past and can continue to do so.”
Breeze said it was “critically important” to the state’s economy for more gas to come into the system.
“For consumers of gas and business operators this is a crisis – it has occurred as a result of a lack of decision making and initiatives for an extended period of time,” he said.
“The Joint Authority has made a recommendation to NOPTA; the court process will determine and expand on and provide details on exactly what occurred.
“If there is a shortage of gas everyone suffers and that includes Central Coast customers and businesses.
Breeze said there was no timeframe on how long the court process might continue.
“We have lodged the initial documents and there is a process the court will go through,” he said.
“The incoming Resources Minister has said there is a need to see more gas on the east coast market.
“PEP 11 is a potential solution to that – logic says there are compelling reasons to proceed with the project.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources said the department was unable to comment on the matter which is now before the court.
See the full video interview with David Breeze on the CCN website.
Terry Collins
Let’s hope some common sense prevails and this project proceeds