Australia’s energy and mining companies have ramped up lobbying efforts during a record year of profits for the sector, a new report has found, while advertising spending in the sector has dipped.
The increase in lobbying coincides with increased activity and government intervention in Australia’s fossil fuel policy and gas supply, driven by prices rises fuelled by the ongoing war in Ukraine. The leading industry body for oil and gas companies, Australian Energy Producers – which rebranded last week from Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association – rolled out a public relations push in 2023.
“Our industry has already expanded its focus beyond oil and gas exploration and development to also cover low-carbon fuels and net-zero technologies,” McCulloch said last week. The Australian Energy Producers and Australian Minerals Council were contacted about their increased use of lobbyists, but neither body responded before publication.
Belinda Noble, founder of Comms Declare and co-author of the list, said she was “quite horrified” to find it had almost doubled in 2023.