Country mayor in hot water with farmers over gas company invite

On February 19, 2024, Gunnedah Shire Council approached the oil and gas giant with an offer to sponsor the Murray Darling Association's upcoming National Conference in Tamworth.

"Mayor Jamie Chaffey, as Region 11 Chairperson of the Murray Darling Association, would like to offer SANTOS the opportunity to sponsor, along with the ability to address the delegates attending the conference," an email read.

The email was obtained by Peter Wills - a Gunnedah farmer and environmental advocate - through a Government Information Public Access [Freedom of Information] request.

Mr Wills says it's "unbelievable" that the mayor of a major agricultural hub would invite a company whose coal seam gas activities "pose an existential risk to the agricultural food bowl's rich water aquifers".

"For Santos, water is a waste product that must be removed from aquifer systems to access the gas they seek to exploit," he said.

"This invitation is a kick in the guts to the community that has fought Santos' Narrabri Gas Project and continue to fight Santos' expansion on the Liverpool Plains, in mayor Chaffey's own shire."

The environmentalist said Cr Chaffey was trying to "greenwash" Santos at the July conference.

But the Gunnedah mayor has downplayed the significance of approaching the company - which declined his invitation - saying a "whole heap of organisations" were asked to be potential sponsors.

"There have been many organisations that have been requested, and with sponsorship you like to give the opportunity for people to come and speak and address the conference as well," Cr Chaffey told the Leader.

He also said there are "both sides to every argument" and having the company attend would've been an opportunity for members of the Murray Darling Association to hear "all sides".

"I think they're the type of organisation that should be answerable to people, so I don't see any reason why they should've been excluded from an opportunity to attend the conference," Cr Chaffey said.

"I'm sure there would've been many members keen to ask them about their impact on water."

Santos was contacted for comment.

Murray Darling Association CEO Mark Lamb told the Leader it's not unusual for an advocacy body to approach a large number of potential sponsors for such a major event.

"Sometimes the people that work with us cast a wide net when trying to find sponsors," Mr Lamb said.

However, he also said the association would scrutinise the suitability of any sponsor if members felt their presence at the conference went against its values.

"If we were made aware of issues like coal seam fracking which might affect the water table then certainly we would've acted accordingly," Mr Lamb said.

But many farmers in the region are upset the invitation was even sent in the first place.

NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said the mayor of a shire whose biggest industry is agriculture should be acutely aware of how fiercely farmers will protect their underground water reserves.

"NSW Farmers members in the Namoi Valley say Santos and their activities are the greatest risk to the landscape and their livelihood, not just in their lifetime, but in the entire development of the Australian economy," Mr Martin said.

He said farmers in agricultural hubs such as Gunnedah and Quirindi often rely on underground aquifers to sustain themselves.

"We can't survive in rural landscape - producing healthy plants and animals - unless we have access to surface and ground waters of the ultimate quantity and quality," Mr Martin said.

"As soon as Santos changes that balance, our whole existence is put at unmanageable risk."