The Labour Party is taking a stand to support gas projects in an attempt to keep energy costs affordable, a decision likely to meet with substantial resistance.

With Australia advancing towards a net-zero emissions future, the Albanese government is ramping up its support for new gas fields. The goal is to keep the nation’s lights on and power bills affordable, despite the growing call to lessen reliance on fossil fuels.

The ‘future gas strategy’ of the Labour Party, due for release this coming Thursday, will push for the creation of new gas fields and import terminals. The aim is to ensure an ample, cost-effective supply for its vast consumer base. The strategy will underscore the imminent risk of Australia experiencing supply shortages in the next four years if the country’s supply is not strengthened.

Ahead of unveiling the strategy, Resources Minister Madeline King told ABC Radio there were “uses for gas we can’t substitute” yet.

“We hope to (find a substitute for gas), but we don’t know when that will be possible. In the meantime, we can’t have wishful thinking without backup,” she said.

The five million households across the country that rely on gas for their heating and energy while we transition to electrification, that gas needs to be affordable, and to be affordable you need reliable supply.”

She expressed that forecasting the volume of gas needed to meet Australia’s energy demands for the upcoming two to three decades is challenging.

“The thing about it is it’s hard to predict, but what we do know is there will be a need for gas because there are many uses for gas that we can’t substitute,” she said.

The strategy emphasises the importance of new supplies for the economic transition to zero emissions and for the industries under Labour’s ‘Made in Australia’ programme. An official report supporting the strategy reveals that Australia could meet future shortages by tapping into new gas fields in Scarborough, off the WA coast, and Narrabri, in northern NSW.

To counter criticism from the Greens, Teal Independents, and some from Labour’s Left, the strategy includes measures to kerb emissions from gas production.

The plans push for the application of carbon capture and storage while simultaneously striving to kerb methane emissions in the process of gas extraction. The scheme will additionally roll out measures to boost gas extraction, putting in place strategies to deter businesses from withholding untapped resources.

Notably, the Greens voiced their disapproval of the scheme even prior to its public unveiling.

“The world is cooking and the Albanese government’s plan is to turn up the gas,” NSW senator David Shoebridge said.

“This is a criminal decision from Labor to push for new climate-smashing gas mines.

Justin Lance Marcel Lavadia

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Justin Lavadia is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum with a diverse writing background spanning various niches and formats. With a wealth of experience, he brings clarity and concise communication to digital content. His expertise lies in crafting engaging content and delivering impactful narratives that resonate with readers.

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