The state's peak farming organisation has called on the NSW Government to answer urgent questions about how it will protect groundwater, farm biosecurity, and landholders as it promotes new gas exploration.
NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said farmers recognised the need for reliable energy but warned hasty exploration without strong safeguards could create unmanageable risks for rural and remote communities.
"Farmers are not anti development, but we are absolutely pro water, pro biosecurity and pro respect for the people who live and work in the landscape," Mr Martin said.
"The government must explain how it will prevent a flood of speculators and '$1000 cowboys' arriving on farms with inadequate resourcing, poor behaviour and little regard for biosecurity or water risk."
Mr Martin said members were concerned exploration would spread weeds, pests, and disease, particularly when prospectors were not required to comply with existing farm biosecurity management plans.
"Biosecurity is not optional. It underpins food security, market access, and farm viability. If exploration is to occur, strict, enforceable protocols must apply and be backed by real compliance and penalties," he said.
Groundwater was a major concern for farmers and regional communities, Mr Martin said, particularly given the government's own acknowledgement of water stress in parts of the state. He pointed to the Bancannia Trough, where the government was already drilling for water to keep towns from running dry, and was now promoting gas exploration.
"How can communities have confidence in their water security when new gas activity is being rushed through?" he said.
Exploration, he said, must be responsible and respectful, include better landholder engagement and support; mandatory compliance with farm biosecurity plans; fairer negotiation timeframes and costs; stronger good faith obligations; higher security deposits to deter speculative operators; and full transparency around arbitrated access agreements.
"This is about restoring balance, protecting food security and giving regional communities confidence they won't be left to pick up the pieces," Mr Martin said.
"Farmers and communities deserve certainty about their water, their land, and their livelihoods. Until the government can demonstrate safeguards, enforcement and accountability, there will continue to be more questions than answers."
