“Western Australia is one of the windiest places in the world, and with our skilled workforce and export infrastructure, WA is perfectly placed to become a renewable energy superpower,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific Head of Climate and Energy Jess Panegyres said today.

“Today’s announcement from Minister Bowen marks a clear investment in WA’s clean energy future – it will deliver thousands of sustainable jobs in the clean energy sector and lower energy costs. 

“Western Australia is in the grips of the climate crisis, and so many of us are being crunched by rising costs of living. 

“It makes sense, both environmentally and economically, to invest in renewables and ensure a cleaner, safer future for West Australian communities. The overall environmental benefit of wind farms is a win for nature and our climate.

“We don’t need more polluting fossil fuels like gas for local energy or export revenue when we have all we need, right here and now, to provide West Australians with a sustainable future,” Ms Panegyres added.

—ENDS—

The revelations follow questions to the offshore regulator NOPSEMA at Senate Estimates overnight.

Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter:

“Companies with oil and gas rigs are required to have environmental management plans. These are a critical part of our regulatory framework and require developers to explain how their actions might impact our precious natural environment.

“Under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Environment) Regulations 2023 the plans must be revised every 5 years so that changes to these risks can be properly scrutinised.

“Greenpeace Australia Pacific is concerned to learn that Woodside is in breach of these important environmental laws.

“Woodside’s legacy of toxic spills, accidents, and leaving oil and gas infrastructure rusting in the ocean despite orders from Australian authorities, shows that the company can’t be trusted when it comes to protecting our environment.

“Woodside’s operations are continuing at three facilities despite their last environment plans being accepted over five years ago, and revised environment plans not having been submitted for consideration by NOPSEMA. These include:

• the Macedon operations which was due to have a revised environment plan submitted to NOPSEMA by about 15/10/2023;
• the Vincent Maersk Ngujima-Yin FPSO operations on which the environment plan was due to be submitted by about 28/11/2023; and
• the Pyrenees facility operations which was due to have a revised environment plan submitted by about 3/1/2024.

“NOPSEMA confirmed in Senate Estimates that it issued an informal extension to Woodside on these environment plans, but that doesn’t go far enough.

“Greenpeace Australia Pacific is now urging NOPSEMA to exercise its powers to issue a directions notice to Woodside to force compliance with the requirement to submit revised environment plans.

“Ahead of an expected decision from the Federal Environment Minister concerning Woodside Energy’s climate-wrecking Burrup Hub project – the most polluting fossil fuel project currently proposed in Australia – we urge the Minister to take note of these concerns.

“Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, is reviewing Woodside’s plans to exploit the Browse gas field – a key part of the Burrup Hub project. This would require drilling up to 50 wells around Scott Reef, Australia’s largest stand-alone coral reef atoll and a vital habitat for pygmy blue whales and green sea turtles. The project would also require building a 900km-long pipeline through two marine parks.

“A decision to rule out Woodside’s Burrup Hub is a decision to save Scott Reef and prevent untold environmental harm.”

Greenpeace’s report into the potential risks of Woodside’s Burrup Hub project is here.

Images of the stunning, pristine Scott Reef are available for hi-res download here. Additional photos and materials can be made available on request.

—ENDS—

Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific campaigner Joe Rafalowicz:

“The new Vehicle Emissions Standards are like setting a speed limit, with a fine if you go over. The idea is that you don’t speed. The FCAI has said ‘imagine if we all just kept driving at the same speed, imagine how many fines we would get!’.

“But the point of changing the speed limit is that you avoid getting a fine by following “the rules. That means bringing more efficient cars to Australia, and selling more of them – not selling exactly the same thing as they have in stock today, and then copping a fine (which you pass on to the customer).

“Avoiding the fines in the first place is exactly what happened when the EU brought in emissions rules (which have even stronger targets than are proposed in Australia).

“In 2022, 100% of car companies in the EU met their target (emitted less than they were required to.

“In 2021, 100% of the top-selling car companies in the EU met their targets, and 4 out of 88 companies had to pay any kind of penalty (and those companies sold less than 2000 cars in the luxury segment, and so paid a minimal penalty which was not passed on to customers).  

“The idea that car companies in Australia will keep speeding down the highway, ignoring the new speed limit, and will then pass their fines onto the customer is disingenuous and flies in the face of evidence about how these schemes work.

“In short, it is bullshit. And not the good kind that you can turn into compost.”

—ENDS—

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast yet another heatwave for Perth with Friday and Saturday expected to reach a top of 41C.

“Heatwaves and extreme weather are linked to fossil fuel-driven climate change. We will only see more of these kinds of heatwaves and extreme weather if Woodside is allowed to develop massive new fossil fuel projects in WA,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific Head of Climate and Energy Jess Panegyres said today.

“Heatwaves put lives, livelihoods, and communities at risk. Soaring temperatures not only pose individual health dangers but also put entire ecosystems and communities at increased.

“Companies like Woodside are fanning the flames of climate change by pushing ahead with polluting fossil fuel projects.

“Global heating, caused mainly by the extraction and burning of coal, oil and gas, is driving the radical destabilisation of our climate.

“Woodside’s massive Burrup Hub project is far and away the most polluting fossil fuel proposal in Australia – it’s a disaster in the making for our environment and our climate. Extreme heat is just one of the devastating consequences that West Australians will suffer, should this project go ahead.”

“Today’s announcement is a victory for the thousands of Australians who made submissions to the Government asking for meaningful action to reduce emissions from transport”, according to Greenpeace Australia Pacific Senior Campaigner Joe Rafalowicz.

“This is a great day for the millions of Australian drivers who would like the choice to make the switch to electric vehicles, but have been held back by a policy void.”

“The proposed ‘New Vehicle Efficiency Standard’ will put Australia on a path to less carbon pollution, more efficient cars and lower-cost transport, marking this as a historic day for action on climate change – provided the Federal Government resists pressure from the self-interested petrol car lobby.”

“The strength of the proposal also shows the Government has seen through the lies of the international petrol car importers. The proposal avoids excessive credits and loopholes, and it properly designates SUVs as ‘passenger vehicles’ to ensure they also become more efficient over time.”

“The analysis released today shows the model put forward by the petrol car lobby would achieve “negligible” reductions in petrol costs and pollution – the Government has rightly discarded it as useless.”

“We know the petrol car lobby will do everything it can to sabotage this proposal with scare campaigns and misinformation. Greenpeace urges the Government to stay the course and get this proposal legislated as soon as possible, so that motorists can start fuelling their vehicle with Australian sunshine instead of imported, polluting petrol.”

“We hope to see more announcements in the future that help get low-income Australians into electric vehicles, and assistance for the 70% of Australians who buy second-hand cars.”

—ENDS—

Louise Tarrant

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Board (Chair)

Louise Tarrant is a passionate advocate for a green peace. One where life is fairer for people and gentler on the earth. She understands that wishful thinking however is insufficient. In a past life as a unionist she saw the need for workers to collectivise and to campaign for respect and a fair share.

Now it’s everybody’s turn to stand together to redress the harms of the fossil fuel order so we might give humanity and our planet a chance of a vibrant, healthy, flourishing and peace filled future. Greenpeace as a global campaigning organisation has the reach, the commitment, the capacity and the ambition to be a key part of this struggle.

Louise is also Chair of Australia reMADE a civic society organisation that seeks to create new thinking around a repurposed state, more circumscribed corporations and an active citizenry.

Mick Dodson AM

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Board Member

Mick Dodson AM is a former Australian of the year, Yawuru man, barrister, activist and professor. He is best known for his campaigns as a lawyer to secure and improve the legal rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly in relation to land and native title rights.

This work led to Mick being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2003 for services to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and being named Australian of the Year in 2009.

Mick became the first Indigenous barrister to join the Victorian Bar in 1981. Since then he has served as the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. He has served as a Director of the Northern Land Council and as counsel assisting the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Mick was also a member of the United Nations Permanent Forum as a member for the Pacific Region and served on the board of trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations.

Luke Giuliani

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Board Member

Luke Giuliani has spent over 15 years working as a strategic and technology leader within startup, not-for-profit, commercial and listed environments.

He has served as non executive director of Climate Action Network Australia and Climate for Change. He also has a wealth of experience within Greenpeace’s global network, having previously served as Chief Technology Officer within Greenpeace Australia Pacific and undertaken global technology transformation programs.

His passion for learning, helping others to find their true north and building high performing cultures and teams has found a home across engineering, devops, data and insights, design, delivery, research and development, operations and cybersecurity.

Based in Melbourne, Luke is a keen cyclist, proud father, amateur squash player and avid sci-fi reader.

Nicolette Rubinsztein

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Board Member

Nicolette Rubinsztein is a renowned author, qualified actuary and experienced director. She believes climate change is the most important challenge of our time.

Nicolette has held non-executive director positions at UniSuper, SuperEd, the Actuaries Institute, Zurich Insurance Group, Class Limited, ASFA and CBHS Health Fund. She chairs the Audit and Risk Committees of both Zurich and Class, and is a former President of the Actuaries Institute. She has held a number of senior strategy, product and marketing roles at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Colonial First State, BT Funds Management and Towers Perrin.