Albanese backs gas as ‘firming capacity’ amid looming North West Shelf extension decision

Anthony Albanese has defended the nation’s reliance on gas days out from the deadline to decide the future of the North West Shelf extension, saying “you can’t have renewables unless you have firming capacity”.

Mr Albanese’s comments came when asked how he could “justify” extending the project 20 years beyond the 2050 net zero target, while speaking about climate change’s role in worsening natural disasters such as the recent floods in NSW.

“You can’t have renewables unless you have firming capacity. Simple as that, you don’t change the transition through warm thoughts,” he said on Monday.

“You do it through a concrete proposal, which is the expansion of renewables up to 82 per cent of the grid. But the way that that occurs is it needs firming capacity to occur.”

Environment minister Murray Watt has until Saturday to make a call on Woodside Energy’s proposed 50-year extension of the gas venture off WA’s North West coast in his first big test in the portfolio.

Mr Albanese said while the North West Shelf decision would be considered according to environmental law, Australia needed to ensure there was “security of energy supply.”

“You cannot have a shift to renewables without having a confidence, because you will lose community support if people walk into this room here and flick on this switch and the lights don’t go on,” he said.

“We need to make sure that there is security of energy supply at the same time as we support the transition, which reduces our emissions.

“You need is a real plan with real solutions.”

Mr Watt has been placed in the portfolio as a known “fixer” after predecessor Tanya Plibersek’s turbulent three-year tenure which included the decision being delayed twice. The new deadline is now May 31.

He has been on a consultation blitz, meeting with industry, business and environmental groups across the past two weeks, including WA Premier Roger Cook in Perth.

Mr Cook on Monday said the State was patiently awaiting the Federal Government decision after the WA Government approved the 50-year extension after a six-year assessment.

“If North West Shelf is not approved, that will be a major barrier or challenge in relation to more ongoing activity and availability of gas,” he said.

Mr Cook said he had a “good” meeting with Mr Watt during his trip west but said the Federal minister was tight-lipped on his decision on the project.

“On the North West Shelf, he gave nothing away, absolutely nothing away, which is absolutely appropriate, but I encouraged him to make a decision as soon as possible,” he said.

“I want the federal government to make a decision as soon as possible, but I also want them to make a decision which is legally safe. I want it to stick.

“If we can see the ongoing operation of the Karratha gas plant into the future, that would be really important.”

Mr Cook also revealed he agreed with Mr Watt’s plans to rebrand and repitch the controversial and dumped “Nature Positive” laws, saying he “hated” the name.

“I hate the name ‘Nature Positive’ — sounds weird,” Mr Cook said, suggesting the name ‘environmental protection laws’ instead.