Environment Minister Murray Watt approves North West Shelf gas extension to 2070

A decision six years in the making has finally been made on one of the world’s largest and most controversial natural gas projects.

Woodside has been given the early go-ahead to operate the controversial North West Shelf gas project until 2070 in the first major decision taken by newly installed Environment Minister Murray Watt.

Following a drawn-out six-year approvals process, the Queensland senator confirmed the preliminary approval on Wednesday ahead of the May 31 deadline, granting an extension of the Karratha gas facility that is one of the biggest in the world.

The preliminary go-ahead comes alongside strict conditions to limit the impact of air emissions on the Murujuga rock art.

Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, Woodside will now have 10 business days to respond to the conditions set by Senator Watt.

Its response will focus on how it can implement the guidelines ordered by the minister.

From there, Senator Watt will make his final decision.

Woodside has been granted approval to operate the North West Shelf gas project until 2070. Picture: Save Our Songlines

In a short statement, Senator Watt said the stipulations would ensure “adequate protection for the rock art”.

“My responsibility is to consider the acceptability of the project’s impact on protected matters,” he said.

“In this case, the impact of air emissions on the Murujuga rock art that forms part of the Dampier Archipelago was considered as part of the assessment process.”

Previously, the West Australian state government had green-lit the project; however, the extension required federal sign-off.

Former environment minister Tanya Ms Plibersek twice delayed a decision on the gas project until after the federal election.

Prior to the May 3 election, the Coalition had committed to fast-track a decision within 30 days after winning government following delays under the first-term Albanese government.

Mardathoonera woman and Save Our Song Lines spokesperson Raelene Cooper issued a statement following the government’s announcement.

“See you in Court,” she said.

“I’m not on my own, I’m bringing warriors from this ngurra with me.”

Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper, who is one of the founders of Save Our Songlines said, “See you in Court,” in a statement following the government’s announcement.

Conversation Council of WA chief executive officer Matt Roberts condemned the decision to extend “the oldest, dirtiest gas plant in Australia.”

He said it opened up the potential for drilling at Scott Reef and would continue destroying ancient Aboriginal Murujuga rock art.

“Australia is not on track to meet our Paris targets and WA’s emissions continue to rise,” he said.

“We are sleepwalking into climate disaster.

“My children will be in their 50s and 60s in 2070 – that’s not a transition, that’s more than half a lifetime.

“At the same time, businesses in the renewables sector will continue to be stymied by the strangle-hold Big Gas has on the energy market.”

On Wednesday, it was also revealed that Australia’s bid to list Western Australia’s Burrup Peninsula, located near Karratha, as a UNESCO World Heritage protected site was knocked back, with the draft decision stating the “degrading acidic emissions” were impacting the Aboriginal rock art.

Environment Minister Murray Watt has given the project preliminary approval. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

It said UNESCO referred the application back to Australia to “prevent any further industrial development adjacent to, and within, the Murujuga Cultural Landscape” and “develop an appropriate decommissioning and rehabilitation plan for existing industrial activities”.

While the UNESCO application did not impact Senator Watt’s decision, the minister said he was “dissapointed” at the draft determination.

“It’s important to note this is only a draft decision and a final decision will be made by the World Heritage Committee when it meets in Paris in July,” he said.

“We will work constructively with the World Heritage Centre to ensure the factual inaccuracies that influenced the draft decision are addressed.

“We will strongly advocate to the World Heritage Committee to reconsider the nomination when it meets.”

Ancient Aboriginal rock art where Woodside have been given interim approval to expand its North West Shelf gas project for another 40 years. Picture: Save Our Songlines

On Monday, Anthony Albanese appeared to foreshadow the gas project’s approval, speaking about the importance of gas as a way to firm Australia’s renewables-dominated energy grid. 

“You can’t have renewables unless you have firming capacity, simple as that,” the Prime Minister told reporters.

“You don’t change a transition through warm thoughts, you do it through a concrete proposal, which is the expansion of renewables, up to 82 per cent of the grid.

“But the way that occurs is it needs firming capacity to occur.”

The extension will undoubtedly draw criticism from the Greens, with party leader Larissa Waters accusing the government of “(locking) us into dirty gas out to 2070”.

“We have enough gas already, we don’t need this expansion and we certainly don’t need this trigger to open up gas fields,” she told the ABC on Tuesday.

“This would be a terrible decision, and this the first climate test for the reality of Albanese government. Is it really how they want to start the term?”