Friends of Australian Rock Art v Woodside and Federal Environment Minister

(Filed 2025, FCA, ongoing)

Friends of Australian Rock Art co-convenors Susan Swain (L) and Judith Hugo (R) hope the appeal will stop Woodside's North West Shelf extension. (ABC News: Lauren Smith)

Judicial review of decision by the Federal Environment Minister, Murray Watt, to approve Woodside’s application for approval to extend the North West Shelf gas project for 45 years, to 2070, under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The project, if implemented, would dangerously increase greenhouse gas emissions at an estimated scale equivalent to a decade of Australia’s own domestic emissions.

Johnson Legal is acting for charity Friends of Australian Rock Art (FARA), who argue that the Federal Environment Minister failed to consider economic and social harms when he decided to take into account the purported economic benefits (jobs) that would arise from his decision to approve the extension causing ongoing and irreversible harm to the ancient Murujuga rock art.

This case is being run by Principal Lawyer Anita O’Hart, together with Senior Associate Asha Keaney, of Johnson Legal representing FARA.