North West Shelf extension environmental approval welcome in overdue common sense decision

The Western Australian Shadow Minister for Energy Dr Steve Thomas has welcomed the announcement by Federal Minister Murray Watt that he has granted environmental approval for the extension of the North West Shelf project.

“Gas is not only the transition fuel for Western Australia, it is the transition fuel for much of the world” Dr Thomas said.

“This was reflected in the state Liberal energy policy released for the last election, and has also been acknowledged by state Premier Roger Cook and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in recent commentary.

“The delays in this approval have been embarrassing to the nation, and reflected the ideological approach taken by the former federal environment Minister.

“I am pleased to see a practical and pragmatic approach has now been taken.

“This week I have been in Brisbane attending the Australian Energy Producers annual conference, where the need for natural gas to underpin the world’s energy transition has been a key theme.

“Any other outcome would have not only undermined that transition, it would have been a national and international embarrassment.”