"At least he didn't abuse the power he had, no one even knew he done it..."
Morrison did in fact use his power as Federal Resources Minister to sign on the dotted line, specifically killing-off a Permit to drill for gas off NSW in the months prior to the Federal election in 2022.
Financial ReviewMorrison’s decision to kill PEP-11 offshore gas project in doubt
Samantha HutchinsonNational reporterFeb 3, 2023 – 1.53pmThe Albanese government is on track to face its first major test on offshore gas exploration, with the Federal Court likely to overturn a decision by Scott Morrison to kill off a controversial project known as PEP-11 in the lead-up to last year’s election.
Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King and NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole will now be required to review the application by BPH Energy and Bounty Oil and Gas to explore for gas off the coast of Newcastle, after the companies and the federal government agreed to settle the issue before trial.
The companies, which control the offshore exploration zone known as PEP-11, wrote to the ASX on Friday to reveal they had reached an agreement with the Commonwealth to end their Federal Court battle.
The energy companies’ statement of claim said Scott Morrison had “denied procedural fairness” and made a decision that was “infected by bias”.
The decision on whether to extend the exploration permit is now likely to be referred to a joint federal and state government panel, which puts it in the hands of Ms King and Mr Toole.
The court action related to a decision in December 2021 by then-prime minister Mr Morrison, who used the powers in his secret role as resources minister to kill off an application to continue exploration at the site, which spans an area offshore between Wollongong and Newcastle.
