Hunter Gas Pipeline to be scratched if Greens secure victory in Upper Hunter by-election

By-election candidate Sue Abbott and Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann visited Quirindi on Monday as part of their push to secure votes in the area, and said it is their intention to hold their political rivals to account over the promise.

Both are pleased with the Nationals' announcement but want to make sure the pledge is legislated, so it cannot be reversed after the election.

The bill will not refer to projects that are currently approved, however Ms Abbott is also keen to stamp out the controversial Hunter Gas Pipeline (HGP).

"It should not be happening, it needs to be stopped in its tracks, it's very problematic in that there are land use issues in terms of the land and water," she said.

"Also there will be legacy issues because that pipeline is to be here for the next 40 years and then once it's finished, it's not even going to be decommissioned, it will be left in the ground to rot."

Her position is the project has no value in terms of energy as the world moves towards renewables, and that it holds no social licence.

"Gas is finished, it's completely finished and there's no price for it, they won't make any money out of it and they'll have to actually look to the government to get public funds and that's, in my opinion, criminal," she said.

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The HGP has been a hot topic in the Liverpool Plains ever since its initial approval in 2009, and the Greens are hoping its strong stance on the issue will help it win the support of disgruntled landholders, who have traditionally voted National.

In the 2011 and 2019 state elections, the Nationals party secured more than 55 per cent of the vote, however in 2015 the figure was just 40.3 per cent following the retirement of long-time MP, George Souris.

Ms Abbott said she was not just running to apply pressure on other parties, and believes she is a genuine chance of winning the seat.

"In my opinion I think we've got a good chance because there is a shift to looking at the Greens, it's a global movement and you can see the inroads that they're making across Germany and in Europe," she said.

"Times are changing and people are actually thinking 'who's going to look after us, who's going to look after our children, the world's children and their children' and I think people are looking to the Greens."

She said there is a small window of opportunity to act, and that time is now.

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