Operators in Australia’s Northern Territory will need to wait longer before they find out if they can resume fracking operations with a final independent report into the practice being delayed by three months.

The findings from the scientific independent inquiry into fracking in the Northern Territory were expected to be handed down next month but the final report has now been pushed back until March.

The delay comes following accusations of “unacceptable conduct” by subcontractors Cross Cultural Consultants (CCC) which were hired by Coffey Services Australia which, in turn, is carrying out the social impact assessment for the inquiry.

A recording aired by the ABC allegedly showed a senior consultant from CCC telling residents to consider the benefits of allowing fracking on their lands as the industry was “not going away”.

A statement from the head of the enquiry, Justice Rachel Pepper, this week said a section of the social impact assessment would need to be redone as result of the incident, with Indigenous Agreement Solutions (IAS) now contracted to redo the work after CCC was let go.

“The Inquiry had anticipated a November release of the draft final report, but regretfully this is not possible in light of the measures required to be undertaken to ensure that the social impact assessment work is satisfactorily completed by Coffey,” Pepper said.

“Coffey has indicated the IAS consultation will be completed in December, which means that Coffey will be in a position to complete its report for the Inquiry by early to mid-January 2018.”

As a result, the inquiry now expects to publish its final report in March, however Pepper added that a draft report would be released in December, with the final round of public hearings and community consultations to be carried out in late January.

Pepper said consultation in late December or early January would not have been appropriate.

“Not only would the Coffey social impact assessment not be released, this would not give people sufficient time to read and understand what will be a lengthy and complex draft final report, especially given the Christmas and New Year holiday period,” she said.

“As the final round of consultations will be the last opportunity for all stakeholders, especially the public, to have their say on the content of the draft final report and the delayed Coffey report, it is important that everyone is given enough time to read those documents prior to those consultations commencing.”

The delay was met with criticism by upstream industry group, the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association.

“The final report was promised by the end of this year. We now won’t see it until at least March next year,” APPEA NT director Matthew Doman said.

“Even if the fracking moratorium is lifted after that, it is very hard to see any significant investment occurring in 2018. That means another year of lost opportunity for traditional owners and local businesses who stand to benefit as soon as this unnecessary moratorium ends.”

A moratorium was placed on hydraulic fracturing of onshore unconventional reservoirs in the Northern Territory last year.

The moratorium is to remain in place while the independent scientific inquiryis carried out to investigate the environmental, social and economic risks and impacts of hydraulic fracturing.