THE NSW Farmers’ Association has strongly condemned the NSW Government’s threats of compulsory land acquisition to support a multi-billion-dollar mining corporation.

In a speech last week at a National Energy Forum, NSW Premier Chris Minns said “we will be considering compulsory acquisition” to progress the Narrabri Gas Project.

NSW Farmers’ say this is despite enormous scientific evidence of the risks of contaminating groundwater relied on by towns and farmers.

NSW Farmers’ President Xavier Martin accused the Premier of putting mining giant Santos – the multi-billion-dollar corporation behind the Narrabri Gas Project – ahead of families and farmers who live and work above the Great Artesian Basin.

“Towns like Narrabri, Boggabri and Gunnedah – actually almost half of the nation – could all very easily find ourselves without clean water because of this reckless project,” Mr Martin said.

“The Great Artesian Basin and all its connected aquifers are the only source of water for many towns and farms, and Santos’ fracking project at Narrabri poses an incredible threat to this vital water source.

“The Premier is seeing dollar signs and hearing the promises from Santos that they’ll never make a mistake, but guess what: That gas and those royalties from Narrabri will be tiny compared to the cost of buying out and relocating entire regions of water refugees.”

Last week the Queensland Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment confirmed the coal seam gas industry was impacting groundwater pressure in the Great Artesian Basin, with 650 water bores likely to be impacted across the Surat and Bowen Basins.

It followed a water expert’s report for NSW Farmers’ Queensland counterpart AgForce, which found drilling into the Great Artesian Basin would result in the release of arsenic and lead to 50 times and 100 times the drinking water guideline level respectively.

This evidence, along with legal action from AgForce, resulted in the Queensland Government changing its laws, NSW Farmers said.

Leewood waste water facility near Narrabri (Image: Santos Narrabri Gas Project EIS).

“The Minns Government, in its quest to shore up local manufacturing, could very well go down in history as the greatest environmental vandals in this nation’s history,” Mr Martin said.

“To not only ignore the science but to act in the interests of Santos – not communities or the environment – is incredibly reckless.

“Now is not the time to bulldoze through as past politicians have done. Now is the time to hit pause and really consider the long-term implications of this project.

“I want to make it very clear: NSW Farmers does not oppose gas, but we do oppose anything that threatens to destroy productive farms and communities.”

In an earlier media release, Mr Martin said NSW Farmers “does not, and cannot, support the Narrabri Gas Project. We believe it would come at an unconscionable cost to the state”.

“This project poses an unacceptable risk to the groundwater these farms and communities rely on, not to mention soil and air quality, and local food and fibre production,” he said.

“There is clear evidence to prove it, with nearby CSG mistakes fresh in the minds of the community.

“The north-west of New South Wales is this state’s food bowl, producing healthy food and fibre, and governments must recognise this and protect our food and water security.

“They should look for energy solutions elsewhere,” he said.