26 November 2021: Climate activist group 350.org Australia has called the Morrison Government’s plans to increase support for the gas industry a dangerous decision to help his billionaire mining mates.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor is releasing plans today to support the gas industry and fast-track the development of new gas basins.

350 Australia Senior Campaigner Shani Tager said: “It’s abhorrent that the Morrison Government is handing public money to their billionaire mates in gas companies to build infrastructure that will fuel the climate crisis for decades to come.

“The International Energy Agency has been crystal clear that there cannot be any new gas projects if we’re going to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

“New gas projects are damaging to the climate and local environment and fiercely opposed by Traditional Owners and local communities. The Government throwing their support and our public money at these dirty gas projects will just strengthen community opposition.

“The Morrison Government has a track record of giving public money to gas industry players with close ties to the Liberal party and there’s no reason to think that this new program will be any different – the whole thing stinks.

According to 350.org analysis, the Government has already committed $1.5 billion to the gas industry since September last year.

“Every dollar that the Morrison Government gives to their mates in the fossil fuel industry could be better spent supporting sustainable jobs, renewable energy and helping households to get off gas.”

Earlier this week a petition with more than 100,000 signatures was presented to MPs at Parliament, calling for no public money to go to the oil and gas industry.

“Communities across Australia have emphatically said they don’t want their public money wasted on the polluting gas industry.”

ENDS

Background:

• On 7th July 2021 the Morrison Government announced a $21 million grant for Empire Energy whose chair Paul Espie has made numerous, large donations to the Liberal Party, totalling close to $400,000 and chairs the Liberal aligned Menzies Research Centre.
• In May 2021 $600 million was given to Snowy Hydro to build a new gas power station in NSW on a site that will be owned by Jeff McCloy, a former Liberal Party donor who was found by ICAC Operation Spicer to have acted with the intention of evading NSW bans on political donations from property developers in donations to the NSW Liberal Party made in 2011.

The plans for gas industry subsidies originated with the Covid Commission that was stacked with gas industry executives.