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Byron Shire
July 3, 2026

Byron push to be gasfield free

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Byron shire council will debate a motion designed to stop company's like Metgasco from mining in the region.
Byron Shire Council will debate a motion designed to stop companies like Metgasco from mining in the region.

The Byron Shire Council will this week discuss urging NSW premier Mike Baird to declare the northern rivers gasfield free.

A motion from councillor Duncan Dey will also call on the premier to revoke all petroleum exploration licences in the region.

Cr Dey will put his motion forward at the Byron council meeting on Thursday.

He said the suspension of mining company Metgasco’s licence to drill at Bentley outside Lismore was only temporary.

‘So it is still very important to show the full strength of community passion and support this motion,’ he said.

The move follows a similar decision by the Ballina Shire Council recently.

Ballina also voted to write to the premier demanding that the area be declared gasfield free.

Metgasco’s licence suspension was announced last month and has resulted in the company initiating legal action against the state government.

The NSW Office of Coal Seam Gas had given the company until last Friday to provide further information on its community consultation process.

Instead, the company said the decision was not authorised by legislation and that it lacked procedural fairness.

It has previously said that the minister’s decision caused the company’s share price to drop by 40 per cent and that the suspension could cost the company $3 million.

 



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