The federal Labor government looks set to abolish the modest “Nature Positive” reforms to climate law that it suggested during its first term. Meanwhile, it claims it has a mandate for climate action, but giving Murray Watt — “Mr Fix It” — the environment portfolio sends the opposite signal.

Watts’ first assignment is to decide on Woodside’s mega-expansion of its North West Shelf liquefied natural gas (LNG), prolonging operation to 2070. Woodside wants to process gas from the Browse gas field, underneath Scott Reef. It is a part of Woodside’s controversial Burrup Hub LNG export project, already under construction. Watts has until May 31 to make a decision.

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The Western Australia Environmental Protection Authority recommended last August that Woodside’s Browse Basin expansion is “unacceptable". It is now seeking additional public comment on Woodside’s amended proposal, which gives Watt the wriggle room to approve. Submissions close on June 10.

The Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) says Woodside’s mega project would be the most polluting project ever delivered and produce some of the world’s dirtiest LNG. It estimated the gas would produce a total of more than 6 billion tonnes of carbon pollution, with “profound implications for the global climate across generations”.

CCWA said Woodside’s bid for 50 new wells extracting oil and gas from under the Scott Reef off the Kimberley coast would “break” Australia’s climate commitments and “undermine........

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