The Minerals Council of Australia welcomes the Federal Government's environmental approval of the North West Shelf project - a long-anticipated decision that reinforces the importance of delivering timely and balanced approvals for nationally significant projects.
This approval sends a message that our regulatory system can deliver the certainty needed to develop the large-scale projects that underpin our economic prosperity and energy security.
Major projects of this kind deliver significant benefits - creating jobs, generating export income, and supporting reliable and affordable energy supply for Australian industry.
With demand for energy-intensive industrial activity expected to grow, particularly across mining and minerals processing, Australia must ensure its approvals framework supports energy security for both domestic use and regional partners.
Timely decisions are essential to attracting and retaining investment in Australia. Long and uncertain delays in assessment processes risk undermining confidence and competitiveness at a time when we are competing globally for capital.
The approval of this project - after a six-year process at the state level - highlights the need for an efficient and predictable Commonwealth system that balances environmental protection with broader national interest considerations.
As Australia navigates the energy transition, it will be essential that approval processes provide clarity and certainty. Investors, communities and industries need confidence that Australia's regulatory system can deliver timely outcomes in line with the national interest.
The MCA congratulates the Federal Government for making a considered decision that demonstrates the kind of practical balance needed to secure investment, jobs and affordable, reliable energy into the future.
