WA Mines Minister tight-lipped on North West Shelf extension as Federal decision looms but ‘backs more gas’

WA Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael has refused to weigh in on the looming decision for the massive North West Shelf extension plan, but says the State Government backs “having more gas”. Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt discussed the proposed 40-year extension of Woodside Energy’s flagship project with Mr Michael and Premier Roger Cook during a visit to WA last week. Senator Watt then confirmed his department had handed him a brief on the contentious plan, including its recommendation, and now had all the information he needed make a decision by the May 31 deadline. He was tight-lipped on whether officials had advised him to back it or reject it. And on Sunday, Mr Michael provided no clues when asked if he had gleaned a sense of which way the Senator was leaning. He spoke after the Government released new figures detailing WA mining’s contribution to the State and national economy. “We’ve offered information and anything else he may need to make that decision,” the minister told reporters. “I’m not going to give a gut feeling — these things obviously can move markets. “But we obviously know that approving the extension will help us decarbonise and move away from coal in the South West. “We know that gas is a great transition fuel for those peak moments and to help us get out of coal as quickly as we can. “As a State Government, we back having more gas in our system for domestic use, industry and to keep the lights on.” Mr Michael also would not be drawn on whether the State, which granted environmental approval in December, would accept a compromised proposal amid fierce opposition from climate action groups. “It’s a hypothetical,” he said. “And I don’t know what impact that would have on supplying gas to our State’s consumers and industry.” Senator Watt told ABC radio last week that he could guarantee “that whatever decision I make, there’ll be lots of people unhappy on either side of the debate”. The Pilbara project, a Woodside-led joint venture with BP, Chevron, Shell and Japan Australia LNG, has been operating for more than 40 years and will continue until around 2070 if the extension is approved. Woodside says it has committed to reducing greenhouse emissions over time and implementing more rigorous air emissions monitoring, including focusing on potential Aboriginal rock art impacts, as part of the plan.