The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA (CME) holds concerns about the potential implications of today’s High Court ruling on the Mount Pleasant coal mine.
CME Chief Executive Officer Aaron Morey said the decision created fresh uncertainty for project approvals beyond NSW, including for WA’s LNG exports.
“Before activists declare victory, they should explain how driving investment out of Australia will stop other countries burning coal and gas,” Mr Morey said.
“The reality is this High Court ruling threatens to export Australian jobs and livelihoods while doing nothing to reduce global emissions.
“It is folly to believe shutting down Australian projects will somehow diminish global demand for fossil fuels.
“All it will do is drive investment in those projects to competing countries – many of which enforce much lower environmental and safety standards than Australia does.
“The upshot is we end up with the exact same global emissions profile but deprive ourselves of the substantial economic benefits delivered by our energy exports.
“That includes significant tax and royalty streams that are helping to fund public investment in renewables and transmission lines critical to delivering Australia’s energy transition.
“CME supports the Paris Agreement and the Safeguard Mechanism’s role in reducing Australian industrial emissions.
“Australia is taking responsibility for its own emissions but we cannot control how other countries approach the climate change challenge and it is delusional to believe otherwise.
“Governments need to clarify what this decision means for project approvals and provide certainty for investment. Australia cannot afford to become a country our energy customers bypass and our competitors thank.”
Media contacts:
Josh Zimmerman j.zimmerman@cmewa.com / 0404 947 719
Natasha Mutch n.mutch@cmewa.com / 0435 383 382