NSW government met only oil lobby before reviving gas exploration approvals

The Minns administration broke a decade-long moratorium on new gas licences by opening the Bancannia and Pondie Range troughs to applications, a move announced by Minister Courtney Houssos in April. A Freedom of Information request uncovered that the sole formal meeting with external parties prior to the decision involved the industry peak body Australian Energy Producers. In the days leading up to the announcement, the minister’s office corresponded with the Australian Workers’ Union, Business NSW and the lobby group Lock the Gate to secure supportive statements for the media release.

While the government later claimed broader consultation with dozens of stakeholders, environmental groups such as Lock the Gate and the Barkandji Native Title claim they were excluded and accuse the gas lobby of having privileged access. The application window closed in July, receiving one submission that is now under assessment. The NSW Greens have criticized the policy, calling gas a non-transition fuel that entrenches emissions.