2025 GAS SUPPLY WARNINGS HIGHLIGHT ABJECT LABOR FAILURE

• Two years of Labor inaction on developing new gas supplies is coming home to roost.
• Threatening of LNG exports is an abject energy and trade policy failure.
• Labor has legislated against investing in new gas projects, damaging future supply pipeline.

Trade and industry concerns that LNG export contracts may be capped or limited in the new year is the latest signal that the Labor Government has failed to support Australia’s gas market, and severely damages Australia’s hard-earned international brand as a reliable trading partner and defence ally.

Shadow Minister for Resources Senator Susan McDonald said that the Albanese Labor Government, in a damaging partnership with the Greens and Teals political movement, had mismanaged the nation’s natural gas supplies over the past two-and-a-half years.

“Australia has been a trusted energy exporter for over a century, and the reporting that the Labor Government may cap LNG exports is a worrying sign of the dire state of our gas market. What a laughing stock we must be that, as a gas rich country, Labor is presiding over a domestic gas shortage. This is economic negligence,” Senator McDonald said.

“If any exports are impacted, this will be a gas and foreign policy failure not seen in decades.

“The Government is trying to claim that there is an urgent crisis in supply, yet they have spent the last two years demonising the gas industry, intervening in the market, delaying approvals, deterring investment, scrapping infrastructure programs and blocking any Federal support for new gas investments.

“Queensland gas regularly cannot get to southern states in peak periods because of pipeline constraints – blocking Queensland exports will not solve Victorian shortages. This highlights the urgent need for new Victorian gas projects, and gas storage projects.

“If any Australian cannot turn their lights on because of a gas shortage this summer, or if any manufacturing company has to cease production or Australian jobs are lost, then it is because of an abject policy failure by the Labor Government.

“If any international partner has their energy security threatened because Australia cannot supply its contracts, it is for the same reason.

“Albanese is a weak leader who has sold out our reliable energy supplies to Greens activists, and Australians are about to pay the price,” Senator McDonald said.

ENDS