Opponents of Narrabri gas project vow to continue campaign after parliamentary defeat

Independent MLC Justin Field said last week's defeat in parliament of a bill that would have stopped the 850-well scheme, won't be the end of the campaign.

Residents who oppose the gas project will campaign against it through the Independent Planning Commission, he said.

But ultimately, if the mine is approved, they will physically block construction of the project.

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"I am sure, and we've seen this with other big resource proposals, particularly where they've got a climate impact or they've got an impact on water that's impacting local farmers, you'll see a reaction to an approval," he said.

"You'll see people that will want to stand in the way of these sorts of proposals. I think that is almost inevitable."

Mr Field, a former Green MLC, introduced the bill last year, which would have put a moratorium on the industry and required government to more heavily regulate it.

With the backing of Labor, the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers and independents it passed the NSW upper house last Wednesday.

Opponents expected a period of weeks before it went before the lower house. Instead it was brought on immediately, on Thursday.

Member for Barwon Roy Butler, the local Shooters Fishers and Farmers MP, who backed the bill, said that was "extraordinary".

"Most importantly, what it didn't leave time for was people in electorates who had concerns about the protection of groundwater to actually contact their local MP and express a view, and I think there's a few people a bit windy about that at the moment."

The project will now go to the NSW Independent Planning Commission for approval.

Ordinarily that would mean a public hearing - but due to COVID-19 that is unsafe. Instead it will likely be held online, despite potentially thousands of people wanting their say.

Mr Field said opponents of the project would be "very large" and "very, very loud" during the consultation process.

"The IPC process, yes it's an independent and an objective process, but it's not outside a public context," he said.

He said there is usually massive media and political scrutiny of the process, due to the public hearing.

"The campaign is not over, in all of these sorts of decisions when they're contested and they go to the IPC, there are always campaign opportunities.

"The community is definitely going to want to make sure their views is heard by the commissioners."

The government argues the project will create 1300 construction jobs, plus 200 long-term jobs. The Planning Department previously received a record 23,000 submissions opposing the scheme, which would mine parts of the Pilliga state forest, including 18,000 objections.

Santos, the proponent of the Narrabri Gas Project, did not respond to a request for comment by publishing deadline.