Albanese has defended the North West Shelf gas project, saying Australia’s renewable energy transition cannot happen with “warm thoughts” alone.
Environment Minister Murray Watt is expected to make a call on the project this week after delays under his predecessor, Tanya Plibersek.
Mr Watt has stressed he was still working through the details since taking on the portfolio. But the Prime Minister on Monday seemed to already know the answer.Extending the 41-year-old gas project is Senator Watt’s first big-ticket item in his new portfolio.
It is one of the world’s largest liquid natural gas (LNG) and the biggest in Australia.
Woodside Energy can operate the gas plant in Karratha until 2030 but wants to extend that until 2070.
With the Western Australian government having already given the green light, the ball is in Senator Watt’s court.
“You cannot have a shift to renewables without having a confidence because you will lose community support if people walk into this room here and flick on the switch and the lights don’t go on,” he said.
