Letter
Can the government stand up to the fossil fuel lobby?
As luck would have it, the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group’s recent open letter linking climate change and “fossil fuel use and subsidies” appeared the day after The Australia Institute’s latest report on these subsidies.
AI found that in 2025-26 our governments handed $16.3 billion to “some of the biggest, most profitable companies in Australia at a time when ordinary Australians are struggling with surging petrol and electricity prices”.
Meanwhile, a significant majority of voters of all persuasions are calling for a 25 per cent gas export levy. A levy on big polluters – to pay for the damage their products inflict on governments and communities – is also extremely popular.
As for the diesel subsidies the ASLCG referenced; Andrew Forrest, a significant beneficiary of the current system, has been lobbying for years to see it changed. Five years ago he even wrote an open letter on the subject.
Let’s hope this latest open letter, and the changed social and geopolitical situations, see our governments respond and finally respect the will of the people on at least one of these ideas.
References
gas levy support https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/one-nation-and-greens-voters-strongly-support-25-gas-export-tax-poll/
62% support polluter pays levy https://actionaid.org.au/resources/make-big-polluters-pay-australians-think-coal-oil-and-gas-corporations-should-pay-for-climate-pollution-damage/
Forrest’s open letter https://www.acf.org.au/news/time-to-phase-out-counterproductive-diesel-subsidy
— Lesley Walker from Northcote