Energy Giant Accused of Bullying Hunter Landowners

BY BELLA MIDDLETON

                                           Photo Credit: The Conversation

Energy company Santos has been accused of bullying and intimidating land owners along the proposed Hunter Gas Pipeline route into allowing access to their land for the project.

Numerous residents along the route have received letters referring to visits and communications with the energy giant which they say never occurred. 

It comes as the company prepares to make progress on the controversial project, kicking off a new round of community consultations in the Hunter this week. 

President of the Hunter Gas Landholder Alliance Meg Bowman is shocked at claims Santos has met with local property owners without their knowledge. 

"Land owners have been sent letters stating 'thank you for recently meeting with our and access team'; these have gone out to many landholders and in none of the cases is that actually true.

We see these comments in these letters as trying to intimidate and threaten land holders."

Santos and the Hunter Gas Pipeline did not respond to questions about the letters and latest interactions with land holders. 

Fellow Hunter Gas Landholder Alliance member Anne McGowen has encouraged land holders to stand their ground and remember their right to say no. 

"I had someone contact me yesterday who said they had just received a letter from Santos. They wanted to know if anything had changed [regarding access]. I said no, nothing has changed. You have the right to say no," she said. 

"We think that Santos are sending these letters out so they can say to the department that they have been in discussions with the landowners when they haven't.

We have advised that [landowners] complain to the department and their local MPs."  

UPDATE: Gas Pipeline Go-Ahead Faces Push-Back

BY OLIVIA DILLON

A local MP is pushing to get the Hunter Gas Pipeline put on public land, rather than private property. 

Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell, is calling for Santos to consider running the Pipeline through public land like travelling stock routes, to avoid disruption to locals. 

"It has to be something that's considered under this approval," Mr Layzell said.

Mr Layzell said consultation between Santos and local landowners needs to take place, before the best outcome for all parties can be achieved. 

"At this stage it's about surveying the land where the Pipeline is actually going through at the moment, and then we can actually try to look at alternatives, options, things that actually work for the community and landholders, rather than having a rigid pathway through their properties," he said.  

He also said moving the Pipeline onto public lands, would be an "appropriate way to gain community support for something that the state needs in general." 

EARLIER

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean's decision to give the Hunter Gas Pipeline the go-ahead is facing backlash. 

On January 13th, Mr Kean gave energy giant Santos, permission to explore possible routes from its Narrabri Gas project, to the east coast gas network. 

The project has the potential to provide up to half of the state's natural gas needs over the next 20 years, providing up to one million households with affordable gas. 

However, Greens MP and Spokesperson for Coal and Gas Sue Higginson, said the decision to green-light has been rushed. 

"Unfortunately, as it has been described by many experts, this project is a 'climate bomb'. We know right now, opening up new gas reserves is dangerous and reckless policy," she said. 

"The Santos project is too late. We are rushing through it. This is a project about delivering Santos profits. This is not a project in the national, regional or local interest."

Ms Higginson said the Pipeline is projected to lock-in an additional 5 megatons of carbon dioxide going into the atmosphere every year, at a time when Australia and NSW are trying to find more than 7 megatons in reductions per year. 

The corridor would cross through 95,000 hectares of Pilliga Forest, and is facing push-back from landowners and First Nation's custodians. 

Ms Higginson said their voices are not being considered. 

"We know this project is going to harm cultural heritage and of course, it's likely to harm the land and the water. We know the Gomeroi are standing strong and fierce in resistance. They do not consent to Santos and this project," she said.  

MP Seeking Feedback on Hunter Gas Pipeline Plans

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Local residents are invited to attend a meeting next month concerning the future of the Hunter Gas Pipeline. 

It comes after it was recently announced energy pioneer Santos had acquired the company, which owns an underground gas pipeline route between Wallumbilla in Queensland and Newcastle. 

Santos plans to use the company's pipeline route as part of their Narrabri Gas Project, which aims to deliver gas to east coast domestic markets in the shortest timeframe possible.

The proposed 833km pipeline would pass through communities in Scone, Muswellbrook, Singleton, Maitland and Newcastle. 

The community meeting has been organised by Federal Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson, and will give residents, farmers and landholders the opportunity to address Santos directly. 

"Some of the concerns include the depth of the pipeline, easements and how that will work, what people can plant above and around the pipeline, and the course of the pipeline; where it's actually going to be. Things like that are genuine concerns and I feel people have the right to be heard," Ms Swanson said. 

"Santos needs to have these consultations in good faith, which they've assured me they will," she added. 

The meeting will be held in Ms Swanson's office on the 19th of September. 

She said the community should take the opportunity to voice their concerns. 

"This consultation with Santos is a genuine process and I encourage people who are in my electorate and directly impacted, to reach out to my Raymond Terrance office and come along to the meeting in September."

The proposed Hunter Gas Pipeline route