has lashed out at the oil and gas sector, saying the industry was not taking supply concerns and rising energy prices seriously.
The HoA put in place in September this year, and signed by three east coast LNG projects, was aimed at ensuring additional gas supply, improving security and affordability of domestic gas supplies in future years, while also introducing transparency measures to improve the information available to customers.
“And it’s been, as indicated by the ACCC – again, I come back to the stuff that they put out in the last few weeks – cases where the LNG exporters are offering gas to the domestic market at prices they couldn’t reasonably expect on the international market,” he added. The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association , which previously welcomed the HoA, called Husic’s comments ‘irresponsible’ saying he demonisded and misrepresented a leading industry which was critical to the national economy.
“It might not suit Minister Husic to recognise the complexity of our industry and of Australian gas markets, but he is ignoring the A$300-billion-plus investments the industry has made in the LNG sector in just over a decade that has created a world-leading economic powerhouse delivering billions of dollars of benefits to Australians.”