North West Shelf's industrial hug at the Burrup Peninsula demonstrates just what is at stake

The Greens, and at least one Holmes a Court independent, have indicated they would demand cessation of all extensions of existing gas extraction projects as well as approval of new ones.

The proposed extension of Woodside Petroleum’s North West Shelf (NWS) project brings the madness of this policy into focus.

According to the Australian Institute for Progress the Greens/Independents policy would send us back to the stone age.

“Most people think of natural gas in terms of heating or electricity generation, but this is only part of the story,” according to AIP Executive Director Graham Young.

“Woodside’s gas is taken by pipeline to the Burrup Peninsula where not only is it compressed for export, but it forms the basis for a thriving industrial hub which produces fertiliser and explosives as well as the precursors for plastics.”

Mr Young said that natural gas was also used in the production of many pharmaceuticals.

“The Greens may think that wind and solar will make the heating and power generation uses of gas unnecessary, but even that is wrong, with the Australian Energy Market Operator’s  Integrated System Plan requiring another 13 GW of gas generation by 2050.”

“And there’s more. In fact, without gas and its products, the 20th and 21st centuries would be unimaginable. So many of the products we take for granted from EVs to pills, textiles to food crops, depend on gas.”

“Abolishing their extraction without any alternative would be to condemn mankind to a pre-industrial life, with the loss of the billions of lives that are sustained by fossil fuels.”

“That is of course if the rest of the world followed us, which they won’t.”

Mr Young said that some of the opposition to the NWS extension is due to the damage that industrial activity on the Burrup Peninsula is doing to rock carvings in the area.

“While the extent of the damage is disputed, what is not disputed is that in this area there are literally over a million such carvings, most of which are well-away from the industrial areas.”

“It is ironic that the stone age is literally being used as a reason to abandon modernity, and while I appreciate the value of ancient artifacts, I also appreciate the value of human life and that all actions have costs and benefits.”

“It is essential that voters take an adult view of industrial development and understand what underpins the Australian way of life.”

“Accordingly, for the future prosperity of Australia, it is important that one of the two major political parties, Labor or the Liberal/National Coalition, secures an outright victory.  The Holmes a Court/Teal caucus and the Greens must be denied the balance of power.”

For further information contact Graham Young 0411 104 801 or graham.young@aip.asn.au.