The gas field,known asPEP-11,had been a point of tension within the Morrison government,with strong public opposition to its exploration and development ahead of the federal election,particularly in conservative-voting electorates along the NSW coastline.
The gas exploration area,located no further than 50 kilometres from the NSW coast,had run parallel to the state’s pristine beaches,popular tourist destinations,and past some of the country’s most expensive residential real estate.
Morrison had also been at loggerheads with his then resources minister Keith Pitt over the exploration of part of the field,despite their government pushing an economic recovery plan centred around developing new and existing gas fields.
In March 2021,Pitt said he had not made a decision regarding Asset Energy’s permit but would consider advice from the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA). Court documents show the federal and NSW governments had received advice from NOPTA in April 2020,recommending that the Asset Energy application be granted.
In April 2021,Morrison secretly appointed himself as resource minister without advising Pitt. By December that year,Morrison called a press conference announcing that his government had refused Asset Energy’s application to alter the conditions of its permit,which would have allowed it to suspend some work and extend the time frame for it to drill an exploration well.