Approval of Woodside’s North West Shelf gas | Australian Markets

Faith leaders say they’re “deeply troubled” by the Federal Government’s resolution to approve the extension of the North West Shelf gas processing facility to 2070.

On Wednesday, Labor accredited a 40-year extension of the nation’s largest gas plant.

While Environment Minister Murray Watt’s resolution to grant the approval for Woodside’s North West Shelf extension in Western Australia’s Pilbara has been praised by industry and unions, others have condemned it due to the menace to the Murujuga cultural heritage.

President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev Charissa Suli instructed reporters in Perth on Sunday, she is “profoundly disappointed” concerning the approval of the North West Shelf gas processing facility.

“As a daughter of the Pacific, I have witnessed first-hand the devastating impacts of climate change on culturally rich but environmentally vulnerable nations in our region,” she mentioned.

“These nations — many of which are home to Uniting Church partners within the Asia-Pacific — contribute the least to global emissions yet suffer the greatest consequences.

“Why then is approval granted to an old, polluting facility to continue emitting vast

volumes of climate damaging emissions of a magnitude many times greater than the

emissions of all the Pacific nations? This is not loving thy neighbour.”

Rev Mitchell Garlett from the Uniting Aboriginal & Islander Christian Congress added he’s “very disappointed” that the choice was made with out “close consultation with the relevant Traditional Owners”.

“The connection we feel to Country is not just a physical thing but a spiritual connection that is deeper than what we see with our eyes,” he mentioned.

“It is heartbreaking that reconciliation is spoken of but our brothers and sisters voices are not being heard, and the land continues to suffer for so-called progress.”

Rev Dr Ian Tozer added they’re “deeply concerned” by the menace to First Nations cultural heritage websites, together with 60,000-year-old priceless petroglyphs on the World Heritage nominated Murujuga rock artwork website.

“It is vital that these ancient sites, so precious to Australia’s First Peoples and to our history, are not further damaged by industry,” he mentioned.

Meanwhile, Woodside has mentioned the approval would assist 1000’s of jobs and provide inexpensive power to Western Australia.

The project has provided 6000 petajoules of home gas, powering properties and industry in Western Australia with enough power to energy properties in a metropolis the dimensions of Perth for about 175 years, the company mentioned.

Environmental teams estimate the project will produce 4.3 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime.