AMWU: GAS PRICE RORT – What do you mean, you didn`t save any for us?

Oct 03, 2014

What would you say, if you learnt that a new report shows that Australia’s gas price is about to triple because the Government is allowing foreign gas companies to extract our gas and sell it back to us at the global price?

Australia is the only country in the world that doesn’t set aside a portion of its gas for domestic use by consumers and business.

This is called a domestic gas reservation policy, a very common thing to have if you’re a country that exports a lot of gas (like we do).

By not having a gas reservation policy, the Government is putting Australia in a vulnerable situation – business, industry and household consumers.

Not having a portion of our gas set aside for domestic use leaves us ripe for exploitation by exporters. The consequences of this would see consumers hit with huge gas rises and manufacturers taking yet another price hit.

This could leave 1 in 5 heavy manufacturers expected to shut down within a few years and total manufacturing production reduced by 15.4 per cent by 2023. Add to this the potential of job losses - a staggering 91,3000.

These are some of the potential consequences if no laws are put in place to reserve a portion of our gas for domestic use.

AMWU National Secretary, Paul Bastian, explains that “the AMWU has long supported policies to make sure Australian industry have the resources they need to prosper.

“It’s a disgrace that Australia’s huge gas reserves are going to grow overseas industry at the expense of our own.

“A national gas reservation policy is long overdue, and the government should immediately implement one, as well as other measures, to make sure Australian manufacturing has the energy it needs to compete.”

The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) has recently launched the ‘Reserve Our Gas’ campaign to call on the federal government to pass laws to ensure a percentage of gas is kept for domestic use rather than being exported and linked to global prices.

The AMWU strongly supports the campaign and is encouraging everyone to get behind it and help get the message out.

YOU CAN SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BY SIGNING THE PETITION: WWW.RESERVEOURGAS.COM.AU