A Supreme Court challenge to the Western Australian Government’s approval of Woodside’s contentious North West Shelf extension has been launched by Friends of Australian Rock Art, Inc (FARA).
Thursday was the final day of the six-month statutory limitation period for lodging a challenge to the state approval decision.
The judicial review proceedings were served on Friday 13 June against the WA Minister for the Environment, Hon. Matthew Swinbourn MLC, and Woodside, challenging the environmental approval granted by previous Environment Minister Hon Reece Whitby MLA in December 2024.
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FARA will argue that the court must overturn the state decision because the decision maker did not properly follow the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act. It will be argued that the state assessment failed to consider the impact of climate change that would result from the project (including Scope 3 emissions) on the environment, which includes the Murujuga rock art landscape.
The proceedings could have implications for the project’s outstanding Commonwealth approval, which relies on the state assessment in an accredited assessment process under the EPBC Act.
Friends of Australian Rock Art co-convener Judith Hugo said, “Woodside’s proposed North West Shelf extension is one of the most polluting fossil fuel projects in the world, and will have severe consequences both for the Murujuga rock art landscape and for the environment of Western Australia as a whole.
“FARA has made every effort to ensure these impacts are properly understood and assessed, however, we believe the Minister has approved the project without meaningful consideration of these impacts, as required under the law.
“It is clear that the state government is providing enthusiastic support for Woodside’s ongoing gas exports, but that does not detract from the obligation to follow the requirements of our legislation, and that means ensuring the impacts are properly assessed and managed to acceptable levels before any approvals are granted.
“FARA has taken the step to commence these proceedings in the WA Supreme Court to ensure that the serious and ongoing impacts of Woodside’s North West Shelf proposal are properly examined as required under the Environmental Protection Act.
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“The Murujuga rock art is the largest and oldest rock art collection in the world with Outstanding Universal Values worthy of World Heritage Listing.”
A Woodside spokesperson said, “Woodside is aware that Friends of Australian Rock Art has commenced proceedings in the Western Australian Supreme Court challenging the Western Australian Government’s approval of the North West Shelf Extension.
“We have confidence in the robustness of the State Government’s comprehensive approval process.
“As the matter is before the court, we have no further comment.”
