The eagerly-awaited court hearing over the state government’s suspension earlier this year of Metgasco’s licence to drill for gas at Bentley near Lismore begins in Sydney today.
The case is listed to begin hearing at 10am in the Supreme Court of NSW.
The company’s licence was suspended in May following sustained and overwhelming local opposition to the proposed drilling operation.
A protesters’ camp at the site for weeks drew thousands of people in support and a huge police contingent was set to break a blockade of the site before the government acted.
Almost all northern rivers councils have voted overwhelmingly to declare the region gasfield-free.
Resources minister Anthony Roberts suspended Metgasco’s exploration licence after concerns the company had not undertaken ‘genuine and effective consultation with the community’.
The company responded at the time by issuing a statement saying it had complied with its licence conditions.
Nationals’ Ballina MP Don Page at the time told the ABC that ‘It’s quite obvious that we don’t want CSG drilling on the north coast’.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
