Approval of Woodside’s North West Shelf gas extension to 2070 slammed by religious leaders

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Approval of Woodside’s North West Shelf gas extension to 2070 slammed by religious leaders

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

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

While Environment Minister Murray Watt’s decision 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 threat to the Murujuga cultural heritage.

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

Camera IconFaith leaders say they are “deeply troubled” by the Federal Government’s decision to approve the extension of the North West Shelf Gas processing facility to 2070. NewsWire/Philip Gostelow Credit: News Corp Australia

“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 said.

“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 is “very disappointed” that the decision was made without “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 said.

“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 are “deeply concerned” by the threat to First Nations cultural heritage sites, including 60,000-year-old priceless petroglyphs at the World Heritage nominated Murujuga rock art site.

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“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 said.

Meanwhile, Woodside has said the approval would support thousands of jobs and supply affordable energy to Western Australia.

The project has supplied 6000 petajoules of domestic gas, powering homes and industry in Western Australia with enough energy to power homes in a city the size of Perth for approximately 175 years, the company said.

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

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