Scare on Darwin natural gas plant

Age
Thursday 12/3/2009 Page: 12

AN OPPOSITION senator has said a $24 billion natural gas plant will not be built in Darwin because of the company's fear of an emissions trading scheme. Speaking on ABC Radio, Country Liberal Party senator Nigel Scullion said he had spoken to the managing director of Japanese company Inpex, which plans to build the giant gas plant know as the Ichthys Project.

"He said to me with the existing arrangements they most likely wouldn't be coming to Darwin, and most likely (not to) Australia." But a company spokeswoman said yesterday Inpex "remained committed to advancing the project (in Darwin) ". However, she said the company was "currently evaluating the proposed carbon pollution reduction scheme legislation to understand its potential impact".

NT Chief Minister Paul Henderson said the company had not indicated to him it was prepared to move the project and accused Senator Scullion of "political scaremongering".