This week, a Labor/Greens Senate committee determined that the Auditor-General and Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources should investigate the $50 million Beetaloo Co-operative Drilling Program – a scheme to expand gas projects in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo sub-basin, south of Darwin – after the government awarded $21 million to Empire Energy, a Liberal donor.
“Labor is deeply concerned about the misuse of public funds for the Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program,” said MP Alicia Payne.
“That’s why we voted to establish a Senate inquiry to investigate the serious allegations of public money being funnelled to Liberal Party donors and [Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction] Angus Taylor’s actions.”
However, the Greens also wanted to block the Drilling Program altogether. Labor politicians voted with the Coalition against this disallowance motion, despite Greens and independents urging them to back it.
ACT Greens political aspirants have accused their Federal Labor colleagues of supporting gas exploration rather than acting on climate change.
“Labor’s decision is inexplicable and inexcusable,” said Tim Hollo, Greens candidate for Canberra.
“The Beetaloo Basin will be the single biggest source of emissions in Australia – dwarfing the Adani coal mine and destroying any chance of Australia meeting its emissions targets. We’re talking about more emissions than entire countries. We’re talking about discretionary funds being directed to gas companies with strong ties to the Liberal party, often headquartered in tax havens, to cook the planet, put groundwater at risk, and ignore the wishes of First Nations communities. And the Parliament could have stopped it.”
Fracking in the Northern Territory also threatened Indigenous land, groundwater, sacred sites, and entire communities, said Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng, ACT Greens candidate for the Senate.
“You cannot claim to support First Nations rights when you are willing to subsidise gas companies to destroy our land.”
Ms Payne noted that the exploration program was in its very early stages, with no certainty over what resources were technologically or economically viable to extract.
“The basin has not been opened to large scale commercial extraction, as the Greens are suggesting. Any future commercialisation of the basin would be subject to both Northern Territory and federal government approvals.”
Mr Hollo said donations from the fossil fuel industry should be banned. “Until that happens, we will continue to see the interest of factions, lobbyists, and corporate donors prevent Australia from taking meaningful action on climate change.”
“The Greens refuse to take donations from the fossil fuel industry, which is why we are free to take genuine action on climate change, not outcomes that suit big fossil fuel donors,” Dr Goreng Goreng said.
Mr Hollo claimed the incident showed how weak the ACT’s Federal Labor MPs were in the caucus. “They’ve failed to convince their colleagues to support a crucial motion to stop public money causing immense damage, and now they have to vote to let it through.”
“We’re disappointed, but we shouldn’t be surprised,” Dr Goreng Goreng said. “Today is proof that both parties will sell out the environment, the climate, and First Nations people to keep their fossil fuel donors happy.”
But, according to Ms Payne, “Labor was absolutely committed to strong, urgent climate action and will invest heavily in renewable industries if elected”.
Labor have already announced a suite of policies designed to lower Australia’s emissions, and in the lead up to the next election, will outline further measures. Moreover, in her view, Government funding should not go to any new fossil fuels projects.
“We continue to urge the Morrison Government to follow our lead in treating climate change like the crisis that it is.
“They could start by committing to net-zero emissions by 2050 at the very least, and a stronger interim target. Unfortunately, given their track record, it has become clear that only a Labor Government will deliver the climate action we need.”
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