Scott Morrison’s vocal opposition to a controversial offshore gas drilling project meant his later decision to formally block it was tainted by apprehended bias, a court has found.
And the vocal opposition of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is leading to accusations any decision under his government will also be tainted.
The Federal Court on Tuesday quashed Morrison’s December 2021 decision to block an extension of the PEP-11 project permit and remitted it to a joint federal-NSW authority.
That course of action had been requested by the two governments and permit holder Asset Energy.
Albanese has slammed his predecessor’s decision, made after Morrison secretly appointed himself the resources minister, as legally untenable and borne of a dishonest and incompetent administration….