Communities affected by the three gas exploration licences owned by Metgasco in the Northern Rivers say they are jubilant the company’s Board has accepted an offer from the NSW Government to buy back the licences and has proposed to withdraw from pending exploration activities near Bentley.
Gasfield Free Northern Rivers co-coordinator, Elly Bird said, “This is a day that people around our region have worked for and wanted for over three years. We’re over the moon that the Government and the company have finally seen the light and decided that the community’s rejection of unconventional gas could not be overcome.
Ross Joseph, a landholder who lives within one of the licences said, “We’re grateful to the Government for finally acting to cancel these licences, and for stopping the drilling at Bentley last year. More than that, we’re just so proud of our community for coming together to turn away unsafe and unwelcome industrialisation of our beautiful region.”
Elly Bird said, “Of course it’s not over for our communities yet. There’s nothing to stop the government granting new licences to explore for gas in our region, and until there is protection in law for a gasfield free Northern Rivers, we will continue to work together to achieve that.”