The approval was made on 15 March, but only published on the DCCEEW website at 5:15 pm on 27 March, at the end of the parliamentary week and shortly before the Easter holidays.

“The Santos Barossa Project is the dirtiest gas project in Australia and should not proceed on climate grounds alone,” said Rod Campbell, Research Director at The Australia Institute.

“But Barossa is even worse than other gas projects, not just due to its CO2 content, but because of the staunch opposition of Tiwi Island Traditional Owners.

“The Federal Government has already bent over backwards for this project, rushing its ‘favour for Santos’ Bill through the parliament late last year with the support of the Liberal-National Coalition.

“Now we see a rapid project approval, published quietly just before the Easter holidays. This is a classic case of the government taking out the trash.

“Australia’s climate-wrecking fossil fuel export industry is being quietly assisted by the Federal Government at every opportunity, while ministers make as much noise as they can about new car regulations.

“Any government that was serious about climate, Traditional Owner consultation, relations with the Pacific and basic integrity would not have approved this project.

“Barossa is just one of the 100 new fossil fuel projects under development in Australia. Australia is still transitioning to more fossil fuels, not away from them.