The Gomeroi people in New South Wales' west want major changes after a tribunal ruled in favour of a coal seam gas project on their land. 

Last month, the Native Title Tribunal (NTT) ruled that gas giant Santos can continue with a multi-billion-dollar project that involves drilling 850 wells in and around NSW’s Pilliga region without the consent of the Gomeroi people.

The ruling was made after the NSW government in December declared Santos’ Narrabri Gas Project to be critical state significant infrastructure (CSSI), deeming it essential for economic reasons.

The CSSI status prevents any third party from mounting a legal appeal against the project without ministerial consent.

Hundreds of people have attended protests in recent days to call for an overhaul of native title laws to protect Indigenous land in future cases. 

Additionally, the Gomeroi people have filed a Native Title appeal against the Santos project. 

However, NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean has signed off on the company's Authority to Survey for the proposed Hunter Gas Pipeline, allowing Santos to conduct surveys and testing on affected properties even if landholders do not consent.