Australia’s oil and gas industry has congratulated Premier Mark McGowan and WA Labor on its re-election in Western Australia on Saturday.
Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) WA State Director, Claire Wilkinson, said the industry has worked collaboratively with the McGowan Government since 2017 and intends to continue that positive relationship.
“The Premier’s LNG Jobs Taskforce and the Jobs and Skills website are clear examples of what can be achieved when industry and Government work together: more local jobs and more economic opportunities,” Ms Wilkinson commented.
“When COVID hit, Premier McGowan and his Government acted swiftly to keep the oil and gas industry running so we could protect Western Australian jobs and maintain critical energy supply to our State.”
“Natural gas is an essential part of our everyday lives in WA and has supported the local economy during the pandemic, powering our homes, hospitals, schools, mines and manufacturers,” she said.
In February, APPEA released Powering Western Australia: APPEA’s WA State Election Platform. The platform calls for continued collaboration, stable policy settings to attract investment, and a role for natural gas in a cleaner energy future.
Ms Wilkinson said with State Government support, Western Australia can leverage the strengths of its world-class oil and gas sector to become the global leader in lower-emission energy technologies such as hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.
“The oil and gas sector wants to be part of the solution and help secure our cleaner energy future. This will benefit not just WA but also economies across the region through our export of lower-emission natural gas.”
At APPEA’s WA Energy Sector Forum in March, Minister Bill Johnston highlighted onshore development as a priority for the incoming Government and will look to finalise implementation of the recommendations from the Independent Scientific Panel Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracture Stimulation that handed down its Final Report in September 2018.
“The industry is committed to responsible onshore development that creates local jobs, supports regional development and protects our environment,” Ms Wilkinson said.
