Australia’s biggest gas project, Woodside’s North West Shelf, has received final approval to extend operations through until 2070.<\/p>\n
Environment Minister Murray Watt has placed 48 additional conditions on the project, aimed at protecting nearby ancient Indigenous rock art.<\/p>\n
These include reducing certain gas emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero emissions by 2050.<\/p>\n
The announcement comes almost four months after the minister provided Woodside 10 days to respond to his provisional approval for the extension.<\/p>\n
As part of court action brought by traditional custodian Raelene Cooper, the minister also made a partial declaration to protect a significant heritage site adjacent to the Karratha Gas Plant containing the ancient Murujuga rock art.<\/p>\n
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The North West Shelf gas project in northern Western Australia has been given environmental approval to operate to 2070.\u00a0 (ABC News: Charlie Mclean)<\/p>\n
The ruling brings additional legal protections to parts of the area \u2013 but does not preventing industry from operating.<\/p>\n
The meaning behind Murujuga’s petroglyphs<\/a><\/p>\n Ahead of UNESCO releasing its final assessment of the area’s world-heritage potential, the Burrup’s traditional owners tell the stories behind the landmark rock art.<\/p>\n Minister Watt said the 48 conditions will “avoid and mitigate” significant impacts to the rock art.<\/p>\n “This project will be operated in a way\u00a0that does not cause unacceptable\u00a0impacts to the rock art including by\u00a0restricting our emissions,” he said.<\/p>\n “The Albanese government is committed to protecting the environment and First Nations cultural heritage \u2014 and protecting jobs.<\/p>\n “It does not have to be one or the other.”<\/p>\n ‘Clear way forward’<\/p>\n Peter Hicks, chair of the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation welcomed the declaration.<\/p>\n “Now, with this declaration, we have an even clearer way forward and we thank the Federal Government for enacting a critical part of Australia’s legislative framework to ensure that this sacred place is protected in perpetuity,” he said.<\/p>\n In a statement published minutes after Mr Watt announced his decision, Woodside’s chief operating officer Liz Westcott said it included rigorous conditions to manage the protection of cultural heritage.<\/p>\n Murujuga National Park is located on the Burrup Peninsula, 1530km north of Perth, and is the site of ancient aboriginal rock art.\u00a0 (ABC Pilbara: Kelsey Reid)<\/p>\n That included additional monitoring of air emissions to protect the adjacent heritage precinct.<\/p>\n Ms Westcott promoted the project’s economic benefits saying it had “paid more than $40 billion in royalties and excise, supported thousands of Australian jobs and contributed well over $300 million to communities in the Pilbara through social investment initiatives and infrastructure support”.<\/p>\n She said the project had produced more than 6,000 petajoules of domestic gas.<\/p>\n “If used just for household electricity, this is enough to power homes in a city the size of Perth for approximately 175 years,” the statement read.<\/p>\n Liz Westcott said the project had generated thousands of jobs. (Supplied: Woodside Energy)<\/p>\n Karratha and Districts Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Sarah Wheelan said the project extension would have a positive impact on the local business community.<\/p>\n “I think it will be able to give businesses confidence they will be able to continue to maintain and service Woodside’s assets, which is a brilliant thing for both stability, but also being able to plan ahead,” she said.<\/p>\n “When people have that continuity, they can then have confidence investing in their staff, equipment, training, and all those things that are going to make the Karratha business economy stronger.”<\/p>\n Sarah Wheelan said the decision provides certainty to the business community. (ABC News: Kimberley Putland)<\/p>\n Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation CEO Sean-Paul Stephens said it would “take time to digest” the cultural and economic implications of the decision.<\/p>\n “I have no doubt that a massive industry approval will support the economy in some form,” he said.<\/p>\n “Right now the local Aboriginal community has some of the most extreme economic disadvantage in the country, and that’s on the doorstep of billion-dollar industry.”<\/p>\n WA’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the decision would result in more affordable and reliable energy supplies for households and businesses.<\/p>\n (ABC Pilbara: Kelsey Reid)<\/p>\n “Without a secure supply of gas, our industries wouldn’t just slow down \u2014 they’d stop all together,” said chief economist Aaron Morey.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Conservation Council of WA called the decision both dangerous and deficient and labelled it a “climate fail”.<\/p>\n ‘Not good enough’<\/p>\n Greens Deputy Leader Dr Mehreen Faruqi described the final approval and set of conditions as a “betrayal to voters” hoping for strong climate action.<\/p>\n “This project will release 6.1 billion tonnes of emissions and also net zero by 2050 is not good enough. We need net zero by 2035,” Dr Faruqi.<\/p>\n “This project is just going to exacerbate the climate crisis and the disasters that communities have been facing year on year.”<\/p>\n Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi. (ABC News: David Sciasci)<\/p>\n Speaking before the final approval, Leader Larissa Waters also criticised how long it’s taken the two parties to reach an agreement.<\/p>\n “Gas companies get to negotiate on what their environmental conditions are going to be, it’s an absolute farce,” she said<\/p>\n “But what is clear is that this gas project is an absolute stinker … it will be a climate disaster.”<\/p>\n International challenges<\/p>\n Mr Watt’s final approval comes a day after Vanuatu’s climate minister warned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese the gas project could violate Australia’s international climate change obligations<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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