UCA President joins WA Faith Leaders in speaking out against the North West Shelf

MEDIA RELEASE – 1 JUNE 2025

President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev Charissa Suli, was in Perth today expressing her profound disappointment about the approval of the controversial North West Shelf gas processing facility.

Rev Suli was joined by Rev Dr Ian Tozer, the Moderator of the Uniting Church in WA; Rev Mitchell Garlett from the Uniting Aboriginal & Islander Christian Congress; and Rev Ken Devereux, the President of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change WA Chapter, as they shared their concerns about the decision by the Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt to extend the life of the polluting facility out to 2070.

Rev Suli said, “As a daughter of the Pacific, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts of climate change on culturally rich but environmentally vulnerable nations in our region. These nations—many of which are home to Uniting Church partners within the Asia-Pacific—contribute the least to global emissions yet suffer the greatest consequences.

“Why then is approval granted to an old, polluting facility to continue emitting vast volumes of climate damaging emissions of a magnitude many times greater than the emissions of all the Pacific nations? This is not loving thy neighbour.”

Rev Garlett said, “It’s very disappointing that a decision like this might occur without close consultation with the relevant Traditional Owners. The connection we feel to Country is not just a physical thing but a spiritual connection that is deeper than what we see with our eyes.

“It is heartbreaking that reconciliation is spoken of but our brothers and sister’s voices are not being heard, and the land continues to suffer for so-called progress.”

Rev Dr Tozer said, “As beautiful as our churches are, we know that there is a cathedral of Aboriginal culture that has been at Murujuga long before the foundation stones of our churches were laid.

“We are therefore deeply concerned about the threat to First Nations cultural heritage sites, including 60,000-year-old priceless petroglyphs at the World Heritage nominated Murujuga rock art site. It is vital these ancient sites, so precious to Australia’s First Peoples and to our history, are not further damaged by industry.”

Rev Dr Devereux said, “We believe that moral and ethical choices for the greater good for humanity and creation need to take precedence over the benefits to fossil fuel corporations and the short-term economy. This decision to extend the North West Shelf gas facility out to 2070 does not meet that test.”

“The next test for the Australian government is to ensure that the related Browse project that would see up to 50 gas wells drilled next to Scott Reef, does not go ahead.”

Media Release 1 June 2025:

Uniting Church in Australia, National Assembly

Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, WA Regional Committee

Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Western Australia

Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, WA