2026-07-20
The Albanese Government is facing even more pressure from inside its own party to make multinational gas corporations pay their fair share, with reports Labor members will push to strengthen the ALP National Platform by committing to Australians receiving a “fair return” from gas resources at this week’s ALP National Conference in Adelaide.
Australian Greens Resources spokesperson Senator Steph Hodgins-May said the political debate had fundamentally shifted, with a gas export tax now being “not if but when.”
The Senate Select Committee on the Taxation of Gas Resources, chaired by Senator Hodgins-May, agreed the question of a gas export tax should be revisited following the cessation of the Iran conflict. The Australian Greens say Australia’s tax system cannot remain hostage to overseas conflicts while multinational gas corporations continue making windfall profits.
Labor’s National Conference runs from Thursday to Sunday.
Lines attributable to Senator Steph Hodgins-May:
“Labor’s own members can see the writing on the wall. Anthony Albanese still seems to be taking his advice from multinational gas corporations instead of the Australian people.”
“The question is no longer if Australia introduces a gas export tax. It’s when. The only question is how much longer Anthony Albanese is willing to make Australians wait.
“Every day Labor delays a gas export tax, hundreds of millions of dollars that should belong to Australians end up in the pockets of multinational gas companies. That’s money that could be funding cheaper power bills, free education and real cost of living relief.
“The excuse that international instability means we can’t act has completely fallen apart. Global turmoil has only delivered even bigger windfall profits to the gas giants. There has never been a better time to make them pay what they owe.
“Australians own these gas resources. The profits should benefit Australians, not foreign-owned corporations exporting our gas while paying next to nothing.
“Labor’s own members are now demanding what the Greens, the experts and the public have been saying all along, that Australians deserve a fair return from the gas they own.
“Albanese should listen to his own party, stare down the gas lobby, and introduce a minimum 25% gas export tax.
“Anything less would be a failure to stand up for Australians.”