Woodside LNG works may be illegal

Woodside LNG works may be illegal:

Phillip Roe and Richard Hunter serving the paper on the Shire of Broome this morning

EDO principal solicitor Josie Walker said Monday's action hinged on a decision by the Kimberley Joint Development Assessment Panel (KJDAP) to grant retrospective and new approvals to Woodside in February without the shire's consent.

"That approval is invalid (because) the KJDAP hadn't received a responsible authority report from the Shire of Broome," she said.

"We're suing Broome for somebody else making a decision on their behalf," Ms Walker said.

"What we've suggested to the Shire of Broome is that they may not want to actively participate in the proceedings and let Woodside defend it in court."

A Supreme Court ruling in the EDO's favour would mean Woodside had committed an offence under the Planning Act, and the EDO would urge the state's planning minister to prosecute it for doing unauthorised works, Ms Walker said.