Origin denies claims of compliance cover-up

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Energy major Origin Energy has denied allegations of covering up regulatory breaches and has said it will “vigorously” defend the court claims made by a former employee.

Former Origin compliance manager Sally McDow has filed legal action in the Federal Court claiming that Origin’s former CEO, Grant King, had engaged in a cover-up that included noncompliance with safety and environmental regulations at a number of wells in Australia and New Zealand, which she said had not been maintained for more than ten years, and had caused oil and gas leaks.

McDow also alleges that Origin failed to record these regulatory breaches at the oil and gas fields, and did not report them to regulators.

The issues were allegedly picked up in 2013, and despite numerous efforts by McDow, the issues were not rectified by 2015.

McDow was made redundant in late 2015 as part of an 800 staff job shed undertaken by Origin at the time, and is now suing Origin for breaches of her employment contract, the Corporations Act and the Fair Work Act.

“We categorically deny the allegations that form the basis of McDow’s most recent claim [and will] vigorously defend the claim in court,” a spokesperson for Origin told Mining Weekly Online on Wednesday.

“We are confident that we have met, and continue to meet, all compliance-related reporting obligations in relation to our asset,” the spokesperson said.