Anthony Albanese has rejected suggestions approving a major gas project off WA will jeopardise Pacific relations and declared he will “act in Australia’s interests” despite criticism from Vanuatu.

At the pointy-end of the Pacific Island Forum in the Solomon Islands on Thursday, Vanuatu’s climate minister Ralph Regenvanu had warned a greenlight for Woodside’s North West Shelf would break international law.

It came as the Albanese Government stands poised to make the final call on whether the project will be extended to 2070 as soon as Friday, after almost four months of deliberations with the gas giant over conditions.

Mr Albanese justified Environment Minister Murray Watt’s conditional approval for the project by saying gas had “an important role to play” in Australia’s green energy tra

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