Gorgon must go ahead says Beazley - Breaking News - Business - Breaking News

The $11 billion Gorgon gas project on Western Australia's Barrow Island must go ahead to reduce Australia's reliance on Middle Eastern oil, federal opposition leader Kim Beazley says.
WA's Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) rejected environmental approval for the gas export project off WA's Pilbara coast, mainly because of the risk to the rare and threatened Australian flatback turtle.
But Mr Beazley said the project needed to go ahead.
"That is an important national project and it must happen," he said.
The WA government, he said, should not ignore the EPA advice but nothing should stop the project.
"I was pleased to see the premier of WA say the other day that they're going to work their way through it, that must be done," he said.
"The flat back turtles need their protection but the simple fact of the matter is we need this gas.
"We need to be using it in part at least to get a bit of independence from Middle-East oil."
The EPA recommendation will be sent to the state and federal environment ministers with a ministerial decision due towards the end of the year.
© 2006 AAP