Environment Minister Murray Watt heads west to restart ‘Nature Positive’ talks, with a decision on Woodside’s gas project looming

Newly installed Environment Minister Murray Watt is wasting no time in the role, heading to Western Australia next week ahead of a contentious decision on whether to approve Woodside’s proposal to add 40 years to the life of its North West Shelf gas project.

In an interview detailing his hopes as environment minister, Senator Watt also said it “bodes well” for the government’s shelved Nature Positive reforms that former environment minister Sussan Ley now has the top job within the Liberal Party, given she initiated the review into the ageing conservation laws.

Woodside’s proposal to extend the life of its gas facility in Karratha from 2030 to 2070 has been under assessment for six years, and a decision on it was delayed twice by the former minister before the election.

Senator Watt says he intends to approve or reject it by the May 31 deadline.

“It is certainly my intention to make the decision within the time-frame we have previously agreed. I recognise this decision has been a long time coming,” he told the ABC.

“My decision will be independent, it will be based on the science and the evidence that is presented to me, and it will absolutely be based on the law.”

On Monday Liberal senator Michaelia Cash said Senator Watt must decide quickly on the North West Shelf gas proposal, accusing the former environment minister of delaying it for political reasons.

The WA state government gave its own approval for the project late last year.

Conservation reforms fought by WA to be rewritten

With his feet barely under the desk, the environment minister is also picking up the task of rewriting the government’s environmental conservation reforms, known as the Nature Positive Plan, which was fiercely fought by West Australian Premier Roger Cook.

The government wants to modernise the 25-year-old Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act, which governs environmental approvals including for mining, forestry and energy projects.

The ageing act would be refreshed to speed up the approvals process and include climate change considerations — with a national watchdog established through separate legislation.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese intervened in the dying weeks of the last term to confirm the bill would not proceed before the election.

Senator Watt said he would speak with environment and industry stakeholders in WA next week, and had reached out to ministers in the Cook government.

He confirmed the bill would be rewritten.

“I see this as one of my highest priorities in this job, Graeme Samuel identified years ago in his review that our current environmental laws aren’t working for the environment and they’re not working for business,” the minister said.

“I think my record shows I am someone who consults widely, is able to bring people together to tackle difficult challenges and then to be decisive and get things moving.”

There is an optimism across parliament that this term could see significant environmental reform, with now-Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and now-Greens leader Larissa Waters both formerly from the environment portfolio and familiar with the technical and contentious sector.

The stalled Nature Positive reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act were also kick-started by Ms Ley as environment minister.

“I think it does bode well to have Sussan Ley now leading the Liberal Party,” Senator Watt said.

“She was the environment minister who commissioned the Samuel Review, and she supported that process which indicates to me that she agrees reform is needed to our environmental laws.”

He added that as a fellow Queenslander he also had a good personal relationship with Senator Waters, who had made “positive statements about wanting to deliver a more constructive approach”, and hoped to build the most broad base of support for EPBC reforms possible.

“What I have found in my initial calls to representatives of the environment sector, mining, other industry groups, is that there is actually a lot of good will to passing reforms,” he said.

“It was probably difficult timing to be finalising those reforms in the run up to both the Western Australian and federal elections.”

Watt to continue ‘good work’ done by Plibersek

Announcing the decision to move Tanya Plibersek out of the role on Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he regarded the environment portfolio as a senior ministry in his government and had handed it to Senator Watt as an “outstanding performer” in the Labor government.

Senator Watt said he looked forward to continuing the work Ms Plibersek had done in the ministry, including establishing the Nature Repair Market, which was legislated last term.

“I think that’s an example of the range of good work Tanya Plibersek did in this role, she has got a lot to be proud of as the environment minister,” Senator Watt said.

“It’s something I really want to drive forward. My time as the agriculture minister really brought home to me the economic opportunities as well as environmental in putting in place a Nature Repair Market that rewards people for protecting the environment.”

He also confirmed the government would continue to pursue its policy of zero new extinctions and standalone cultural heritage legislation.

He will also deliver a review into Australia’s recycling and waste reduction laws in the middle of this year, which will consider regulation of packaging products.