The industry minister, Ed Husic, has issued a preliminary refusal of the contentious Pep11 offshore gas project proposed for the New South Wales coast, a month before the federal government was due to file its court defence in a legal action designed to force it to make a decision.
Husic issued a short statement on Wednesday, saying he had “carefully considered” all material that proponents Asset Energy Pty Ltd had provided and “formed a preliminary view that the applications should be refused”.
