29 March 2022: climate activist group 350 Australia has slammed the Morrison Government for giving hundreds of millions in public money to the gas industry in tonight’s federal budget.

The Morrison Government committed $300 million to support LNG production at Darwin to service the Beetaloo and Petrel basins and Barossa and Bayu-Undan fields. This comes on top of the $50.3 million for gas infrastructure announced last week.

350 Australia Senior Campaigner Shani Tager said: “Handouts to the gas industry will damage our climate and put our health at risk – this is a colossal waste of public funds. The Government should be spending funds on the jobs and industries that will power us into the future – but is instead throwing more money at fossil fuel corporations.

“This additional funding brings the total amount handed to gas corporations to at least $1.86 billion since the Morrison Government started taking the advice of gas executives in 2020.

“This money will support damaging fracking projects in areas like the Beetaloo Basin to proceed despite the climate impacts and Traditional Owners and local communities being emphatic that they don’t want gas on their land.

“Supporting new gas infrastructure and gas basins and fields to become operational completely undermines global efforts to limit global warming. More gas means more climate pollution, and more extreme weather like floods and fires.”