The Federal Government’s Gas Market Review must deliver a clear plan to wind down gas production, not expand it, if Australia is to meet its climate obligations, Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland (EnvA) has said in its submission to the review.
EnvA, a grassroots group based in Australia’s largest coal mining region, warns that new gas projects are incompatible with the Paris Agreement, legislated national emissions targets, and the Global Methane Pledge.
“Gas is methane – a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than CO₂ – and expanding its production is like pouring fuel on the climate fire,” said EnvA Director, Dr Coral Rowston.
“Domestic gas demand is falling, yet we’re still giving away our gas to multinational corporations for free or at bargain-basement royalties, while they rake in billions and ordinary Australians bear the costs of climate damage.”
EnvA’s submission calls for:
- capping LNG export contracts to guarantee domestic supply without opening new fields,
- closing royalty and tax loopholes to ensure public benefit from public resources,
- redirecting subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy and storage, and
- ending support for ineffective and costly Carbon Capture and Storage.
EnvA says the Government’s own energy forecasts show domestic gas use has fallen to a 25-year low, with most production – up to 80% – exported, sometimes on-sold by other countries for profit.
“It’s absurd that industry is taking steps to import gas when we are one of the largest gas production countries in the world,” said Dr Rowston
“We should be reserving what we need for our own short-term electricity firming and moving rapidly to a clean energy system.”
The group warns that continued expansion of gas production undermines Australia’s international reputation, risks legal liability, and worsens climate impacts already hitting communities through droughts, storms, floods, and coral bleaching.
“This review is a chance for the Government to show it’s serious about protecting Australians – not just the profits of multinational gas companies.”
EnvA - CQ 