Eastern Star Gas Managing Director David Casey said the company had repeatedly offered to meet with the group at Mullaley after its members raised issues in the media in relation to the proposed Narrabri to Wellington gas pipeline.

“We continue to seek a constructive meeting with the MGPA to discuss those issues that had been raised by a number of landholders in November. We see dialogue as a critical pre-requisite to achieving progress on those issues,” Mr Casey said.

“Unfortunately, because we haven’t had the opportunity to meet, we haven’t been able to address the concerns raised.

“No determinations have been made on the route of this pipeline.

Eastern Star Gas Chairman John Anderson said he hoped that mediation would result in a coordinated and united effort to persuade the State and Federal Governments to allow Eastern Star Gas to use sections of the travelling stock route (TSR), as landholders had requested.

“As part of the mediation we would like to explain where we are up to with that process and work together to maximise the chances of a mutually acceptable outcome.

“It must be remembered that there are extremely important regional, State and national benefits from this development.”