Legal Storm for Woodside: Twin Challenges Target North West Shelf Extension

Woodside Energy is facing intensified scrutiny as two legal challenges have been filed against its North West Shelf gas project — one of the country’s most significant and long-running fossil fuel ventures. The cases, lodged in federal court, contest the project’s environmental approvals and its potential impact on Indigenous cultural heritage sites in Western Australia’s north-west.

The first challenge, spearheaded by environmental advocates, questions the validity of the project’s extension on the basis of inadequate climate impact assessments and insufficient consultation on emissions. The second, brought forward by Traditional Owners, argues that the development risks damaging culturally significant sites and disregards Indigenous custodianship obligations under heritage protection laws.

These challenges come at a pivotal time for Woodside, which has sought to extend the North West Shelf’s operational life well into the 2070s. Critics say the move contradicts Australia’s climate commitments, while supporters defend it as vital to the nation’s energy security and economic stability.

As both cases proceed, the outcomes are expected to test the balance between environmental accountability, cultural preservation, and resource industry interests — a defining moment in Western Australia’s ongoing energy transition.

Article by DailyWAOnline Writer

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