A barrister representing the Australian Conservation Foundation has argued before the Federal Court that the approval process for Woodside Energy's North West Shelf extension exhibited signs of ministerial bias.
The legal team contends that the opportunity granted to Woodside to negotiate the conditions of the project's approval last year suggests Environment Minister Murray Watt was not impartial in granting the green light.
The hearing marks a significant escalation in the ongoing legal battle surrounding the gas project.
The Australian federal government has simultaneously filed a late legal bid to prevent the disclosure of details from ministerial meetings with Woodside, aiming to shield the specifics of those discussions from public scrutiny as the court challenge proceeds.
This development introduces fresh regulatory risk for Woodside's North West Shelf expansion, a cornerstone of the company's growth strategy.
While the project has received formal approval, the potential for a court ruling to invalidate or delay the permit based on procedural grounds could impact investor sentiment and project timelines.