Today marks six months since Advent Energy’s Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 (PEP 11) licence was due to expire and we have heard crickets from the Federal Minister for Resources, Keith Pitt about its future.
This is despite Mr Pitt – who has the final say on whether the permit will be extended – saying at the time that he’d “prefer the decision was made soon”.
The proposed extension of the PEP 11 licence would allow oil and gas exploration drilling off the NSW coast from Port Stephens, Newcastle, the Central Coast, and Sydney for a further two years.
This would put at risk thousands of local jobs in tourism, hospitality, and recreational and commercial fishing.
The current licence was due to expire on 12 February.
It has since been in a rollover period due to Mr Pitt’s inaction meaning exploration can continue while he makes his decision.
It is inexcusable our community has been waiting this long for the Minister to say to no PEP 11 given the extensive opposition to it.
Labor is against it.
The community is against it.
The NSW Government is against it.
Several Federal Liberal MPs are against it.
Even the Prime Minister confirmed he is against it when he visited the Hunter region earlier this year.
The ball is firmly in Keith Pitt’s court and there’s absolutely nothing stopping him from ending this uncertainty and listening to the community’s wishes.
He needs to pull his finger out and say no to PEP 11 once and for all.