Statement by AREEA Chief Executive Officer Steve Knott AM 

Commonwealth approval of Woodside Energy’s North West Shelf Extension is a decision clearly made in the national interest.

This follows more than six years of rigorous reviews and approval processes.

Industry will view the green light for the North West Shelf Extension as a welcome and long overdue step towards sensibly dealing with red and green tape regulation and appropriate community consultations.

Such processes are critical in the face of environmental lawfare that is stalling and frustrating other significant oil and gas and mining projects.

Certainty and stability must be returned to the sector after a discernible decline in investor conditions and confidence.

Today’s decision sends a positive signal for global investment and national prosperity – ensuring thousands of direct and indirect jobs, billions of dollars in taxes and royalties and cheaper and more secure gas for Australians on the path to a balanced energy transition.