The chairman of Eastern Star Gas, John Anderson, has hit out at his company's detractors, including the New South Wales Planning Minister, Tony Kelly.
The former Deputy Prime Minister and Mullaley farmer says the debate around Eastern Star's proposed pipeline, between Narrabri and Wellington, has become ill-informed and unbalanced.
Mr Anderson says Eastern Star's plan to use Travelling Stock Routes is a genuine attempt to address farmers concerns about the impact on water and land, but obstacles are now appearing at Commonwealth level over the use of crown land for the pipeline.
He says people are not being realistic about base load electricity, nor the role gas will play in limiting the use of coal-fired power stations.
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