At the August meeting of the Narrabri Shire Council, Mayor Cathy Redding requested the general manager, Stewart Todd provide a future ‘update report’ to Council on the Narrabri Gas Project, Council’s submission to the NGP and the proponent’s response to submissions.
“As Mayor I believe it is important for Council to receive regular updates on the status of the Narrabri Gas Project as it progresses through the NSW Planning System,” said Cr Redding in her Mayoral Minute.
Council has made submissions at regular intervals since the Project was formally advertised
including a submission in response to the Environmental Impact Statement in May 2017 and further responses in May 2018 and 2019.
“I believe a significant amount of time has passed with the gas project, I think it’s timely that we get a report,” Cr Redding said in Tuesday’s council meeting.
The meeting also heard that Cr Redding held discussions, on July 25, with Santos representatives regarding the Community Benefits Fund.
A voluntary Community Benefits Fund will be established if Santos is given the green light by the NSW Government to proceed with the Narrabri Gas Project and it would provide benefits for locals including support for programs and projects.
Council said the establishment of a Gas Community Benefits Fund represents ‘a once in a generation opportunity’ for the Narrabri Shire community.
However, it believes the current funding guidelines ‘do not and will not’ achieve the desired outcomes of such a Fund nor deliver the intended benefit to the Narrabri Shire community.
“The Gas Fund guidelines are simply not adequate and do not recognise the impact of years of debate and controversy over coal seam gas on the Narrabri Shire community – this needs to be acknowledged and appropriately recognised,” said Cr Redding.
Councillor Cameron Staines said he believed the Narrabri Shire Council was best-placed to manage the Fund, not the NSW State Government body – the Rural Assistance Authority.
“We are the ones who have engaged with the community and held consultations,” said Cr Staines.
“If the mining is occurring in the Narrabri Shire then money from the Fund should be spent here, not in Tamworth of elsewhere,” he said.
“The running of the Fund by the RAA will be replacing our vision and strategy set by the community as well as taking 10 per cent of the Fund for the privilege.”
Cr Staines also expressed his support for the Narrabri Gas Project.
“People who have been objecting to this gas project from the word go would take away money that Pilliga, Gwabegar and Wee Waa can benefit from.
“If Boggabri had no mine for the last 10 years, Boggabri would just be seeing rolly-pollies going down the street.
“We can get Wee Waa up and going again and have good infrastructure in Gwabegar and Pilliga.”
Santos is seeking approval to drill up to 850 natural gas wells, the NGP area covers about 95,000 hectares, the majority of the Project area is on state land in a section of the Pilliga state forest.
Council said it has held concerns with the funding guidelines since their release in mid-2016 and in November 2017, Council was moved to formally resolve their concerns as ‘critical due to the absence of State Government engagement’.
Council believes with the presence of mining and extractive industries, the Narrabri Shire community should accumulate benefits ‘over and above’ other communities that do not have a mining and extractive industry presence.
A formal position paper adopted by Council at its July 2019 meeting outlined the numerous issues and concerns of Council.
“Council, having adopted the Gas Fund position paper will now circulate it to relevant State Government Ministers and State Government Departments,” said Cr Redding.
Council said its five major concerns regarding the current Gas Fund guidelines included: oversight of the Fund by the Rural Assistance Authority; decision making processes on applications; the maximum of $500,000 per project and the requirement for the Minister to endorse a greater amount; operational costs and project time frame limits and the fact there is no definitive geographical boundary for a Fund.
It was recommended that Council express a ‘strong view’ that the limit of $500,000 per project does not align with the intent of the Fund.
Council wants ‘large scale, long lasting and community changing’ projects.
Council adopted the view that ‘any Fund establishment that is associated with the Narrabri Gas Project should be directed wholly into the Narrabri Shire community’.
“I put it to the State Government, the guidelines should be redrafted addressing Council’s concerns and the guidelines should be redrafted now, prior to any determination on the Narrabri Gas Project,” said Cr Redding.
Councillor Cameron Staines was particularly vocal in his support of the Gas Community Benefit Funds position paper.
“This to me mirrors exactly what the Narrabri Shire Community Benefits Fund should be,” Cr Staines said.
The president of the People of the Plains group Stuart Murray also attended the July meeting.
The People of the Plains group has long held concerns about potential impacts of the Narrabri Gas Project to the community, Great Artesian Basin and aquifer water resources, State Forest, surrounding farmlands and local Aboriginal heritage and natural resources.
Mr Murray told Council that he was not opposed to a Community Benefits fund but objected to Narrabri Shire Council managing such a fund.
The People of the Plains group don’t believe it is fair and equitable for the funds to be ‘solely’ distributed within the Narrabri Shire because the impacts of the gas fields will stretch beyond the Shire’s boundaries.
“The majority of the 850 wells if approved will be in State held land in the Pilliga, so royalties and any Community Benefit Fund contributions linked to these royalties should be used for the benefit of the state not solely for the Narrabri Shire,” said Mr Murray.
“There are many impacts that will be felt beyond the NSC boundary for example pipeline infrastructure.”
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