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DAILY NEWS…Freja Leonard, No More Gas Campaigner for Friends of the Earth Australia, is confident the Bill to give power price relief to Australians will pass federal parliament tomorrow, despite the threatening cartel behaviour of Shell and Santos.
Both Santos and Shell have threatened to cancel gas orders for supply to east coast states if the Albanese Government goes ahead with plans to cap prices and institute a mandatory code of conduct.
Ms Leonard said gas companies had been behaving like a cartel for “a long time”.
“We have just been putting up with it and by we I mean the previous federal government have been facilitating the behaviour and giving these companies money hand over fist to walk offshore with about 95 per cent profit and without paying any tax,” Ms Leonard said.
“Under this new government we are definitely seeing a shakeup and that is why the industry is toey but everybody has shown unanimous support for price capping, especially for lower income householders, the support has been coming from everywhere except the gas industry.”
We don’t need any more gas
According to Ms Leonard, the current pricing problems have nothing to do with supply.
“It was a convenient energy when we thought it was abundant, now we know it is finite and we also know it is 84 times more damaging to the climate over a 20 year period than carbon dioxide.
“We know the next 20 years are critical because we have been told that by the IPCC at the most recent COP and we have even been told by the International Energy Agency – it has said not to open up any new gas fields.
“Australians are so optimistic in backing renewables. We are seeing more and more rooftop solar, and people are appliance switching.
“I expect this Bill to pass in parliament tomorrow and I expect it to be a first step in a series of measures because the government has signed up to the global methane pledge at the most recent COP, so we need measures that are going to get us off gas. It is not a necessity and we can do without it.
“I am particularly thrilled to see alliances formed in the parliament for sensible decisions on climate.
“The only thing is missing is some assistance to lower income homes and businesses to update thermal efficiency,” she said.
More help needed
Today the Friends of the Earth Australia, whilst welcoming the proposed $1.5b energy relief package, has called for the federal government to go further to help homes and businesses get off gas.
Efficiency retrofits, solar panels, and necessary subsidies to help lower income families and small businesses change from gas to electricity are essential, but aren’t included in the plan, according to Friends of the Earth.
“Today, on the eve of the parliamentary vote to stand up to industry bullying, and while government negotiations with the war-profiteering industry continue, Friends of the Earth is calling for an urgent rethink.
“As cost-of-living skyrockets and escalating energy prices put a pinch on household hip pockets — particularly for low income families — the relief package needs to be extended so as to ensure the community can afford to move away from gas permanently.
“Federal Government moves to cap gas prices and offer support for households experiencing bill shock is a powerful acknowledgement that energy prices have gotten out of hand for a great many Australians”, said Ms Leonard.
“However, this is only a short-term solution. What lower income homes and businesses really need right now is help to get off gas entirely. The Federal Government is essentially giving people a fish when they need to be teaching them how to fish”, Ms Leonard said.
“Instead of giving people money which is essentially going to end up in untaxed gas industry profits, which mostly go offshore anyway, a better long-term strategy is to help people improve their energy efficiency and help them switch off gas forever,” she said.
“By funding efficiency upgrades, solar panel installation and all electric appliances, the subsidies will bolster local tradespeople and the money will stay circulating in the community instead of nearly 95 per cent of it going offshore in gas industry profits.
“And the community as a whole can finally say goodbye to polluting, unhealthy and unaffordable gas”, Ms Leonard said.
Freja Leonard is the primary author of the Community Gas Retirement Roadmap, a discussion paper about Victoria’s gas supply and use, offering 26 recommendations for the Victorian Government to fairly and rapidly transition the state off gas.
What you can do
If you agree with Friends of the Earth and think more measures should be put in place to help households and businesses, particularly those on lower-incomes, tell your federal MP. You can do this via their social media channels or their contact details will be listed on the Australian Parliament House website.
Have conversations with your family, friends and neighbours about how polluting gas is. Sign them up to The Point’s newsletter so they can become better informed about these issues.
Explore installing solar and switching to more energy efficient appliances.
Educate yourself by reading the Community Gas Retirement Roadmap and find out what’s happening in your state.
