# Gas lobby's exclusive access to NSW policy

> Documents show the fossil fuel industry was the only stakeholder the NSW government met with before reopening gas exploration for the first time in over a decade.
- Title: Gas lobby's exclusive access to NSW policy · the Guardian
- Summary: Documents show the fossil fuel industry was the only stakeholder the NSW government met with before reopening gas exploration for the first time in over a…
- Keywords: chris minns, courtney houssos, australian energy producers, lock the gate, gas exploration, new south wales, fossil fuel lobby, bancannia, pondie range troughs, news, politics, Gas
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/12/minns-governments-only-meeting-before-reopening-gas-exploration-was-with-fossil-fuel-lobby
- Published: 2026-10-11T23:00:38+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: chris minns, courtney houssos, australian energy producers, lock the gate, gas exploration, new south wales, fossil fuel lobby, bancannia, pondie range troughs, news, politics
## NSW reopens gas exploration
In April, NSW natural resources minister Courtney Houssos announced the government would open applications for gas exploration in the Bancannia and Pondie Range troughs for the first time since a two thousand fourteen freeze on…
## Only meeting was with industry
Documents released under freedom of information laws show the peak body for the oil and gas industry, Australian Energy Producers, was the only stakeholder the NSW government met with before the decision.
## Industry meeting in February
A meeting between the government and Australian Energy Producers took place in February. In the days before the April announcement, the minister's office corresponded with the industry body about providing statements supporting the decision.
## Environmental groups blindsided
Lock the Gate, an environmental organisation, said the documents showed the gas industry lobby had obtained preferential access to development of NSW government gas exploration policy.

> We now know that the gas lobby was inside the tent from the beginning.
## Barkandji Native Title claim
In two thousand fifteen, the Barkandji Native Title group was successful in a native title claim over a one hundred twenty eight thousand square kilometre area in far western NSW, including parts of the Bancannia…
## Government claims broader consultation
A spokesperson for Houssos told Guardian Australia the government had engaged in genuine consultation with more than a dozen stakeholders including energy producers, environmental advocacy groups, unions, landholders, First Nations groups and business representatives.
## Greens oppose gas as transition fuel
After the gas statement was released, NSW Greens MLC Sue Higginson said gas was not a transition fuel but another fossil fuel.

> Gas is not a transition fuel, it's just another fossil fuel.
## One application received
The window for applications for exploration licences in the Bancannia and Pondie Range troughs closed in July. The government has received one application, which is currently going through the assessment process.
## Key takeaway

NSW government met only with the oil and gas industry peak body before deciding in April to reopen gas exploration approvals in the far west for the first time since 2014, documents show.