Former prime minister Scott Morrison says he has no regrets about blindsiding his resources minister Keith Pitt to ensure offshore gas exploration did not occur off the Hunter coast.
Mr Pitt made no secret of the fact that he believed the PEP-11 project should proceed and in early 2021 told the Newcastle Herald that he was keen to determine the application as soon as possible.
However, intense opposition from coastal communities between Newcastle and Sydney as well as from Mr Morrision meant almost a year passed without a resolution.
Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Morrison admitted he appointed himself as resources minister to ensure he achieved his goal of killing-off PEP-11.
"On that issue we (Keith Pitt and I) had had a number of discussions and I decided to consider that matter directly," he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is seeking advice from the solicitor-general on whether Mr Morrison's actions have any legal implications.
Despite the intense criticism over his failure to advise the public that he had taken control of five portfolios (finance, treasury, health, home affairs and resources portfolios), he said he had no regrets about his intervention to stop PEP-11.
"I don't regret that for a second and I don't think anyone who went surfing off the NSW coast this week, up around Newcastle or the Central Coast or off the Northern Beaches would take any issue with a prime minister who lived up to his word and ... made a decision that did not see that lease extended."
Surfers for Climate have called on the Labor government to reaffirm its opposition to the project.
"We are calling on Prime Minister Albanese to honour his commitments opposing PEP 11", Surfers For Climate spokeswoman Belinda Baggs said.
"Now the community needs certainty that the prime minister will rule out Pep-11 once and for all."
But Asset Energy, the company behind PEP-11, has called on the federal and state governments to reconsider their opposition to the project.
It is also appealing the decision to refuse its exploration licence application in the federal court on the basis that it alleges Mr Morrison acted with bias.
"Our project has the potential to supply 20 years' worth of gas for NSW and we have committed to inject all of our produced gas into the domestic market," Asset Energy executive director David Breeze said.
"Natural gas will play a critical role in supporting the energy transition, while also underpinning the state's manufacturing industries and other commercial activity. Business NSW estimates 250,000 jobs in NSW rely upon gas as a feedstock and energy source."
Former resources minister Keith Pitt said on Monday he would not comment on the federal court matter, but said he had discharged his responsibilities in accordance with ministerial standards, the cabinet handbook and legislation.
Despite overruling him on PEP-11, Mr Morrision said Mr Pitt had been an excellent resources minister.
"I wanted him to continue doing the job of the minister but on that particular project I believed it was in the national interest for me to consider it in its totality, which I did," Mr Morrison said.
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