Farmers and traditional owners travelled to Adelaide to attend the Santos AGM last week to demand the company drops the Narrabri Gas Project, and protested at Santos’ offices at Gunnedah and Narrabri, opponents of the Pilliga gas project said in a statement.
Narrabri businessman, farmer and Santos shareholder, Mr Ron Campey, was at the AGM.
“I’ve held Santos shares for nine years. I used to think coal seam gas would be great for Narrabri” he said. “Like most others from my region, I’ve learnt this industry is not worth its risks.
“The writing is on the wall for the Narrabri Gas Project.
“Across three million hectares surrounding the Pilliga forest local landowners have given a resounding ‘no’ to coal seam gas. There’s no way Santos will ever gain a social licence to get going, let alone expand.
“The local community oppose this project for diverse reasons.
“It’s high time Santos stop wasting shareholders money, drop the Narrabri Gas Project, and finally start paying out dividends to shareholders.”
Gamilaraay traditional custodian of the Pilliga forest, Paul Spearim travelled to Adelaide to say to the Santos board; “Our ancestors are always watching. Santos get out of our sacred Gamilaraay lands.”
“Our rural communities refuse to be collateral damage of poor investment decisions by Santos shareholders” People for the Plains chair Sally Hunter said.
“We now have proof there is no looming NSW gas shortage whatsoever.
“There is absolutely no justification for this project at all.”
Peter Small, the mechanic of Siding Springs Observatory, protesting at Santos in Gunnedah said “We won’t accept the risks to health, groundwater, and other industries, like agriculture and comet research.”
“Local community oppose this project for diverse reasons. It’s high time Santos stop wasting shareholders money, drop the Narrabri Gas Project, and finally start paying out dividends to shareholders” concluded Mr Campey.