<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/28/pro-gas-group-with-liberal-party-links-referred-accc-over-alleged-misleading-claims-ntwnfb>
"The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has been asked to
investigate allegedly misleading claims made by Australians for Natural Gas, a
pro-gas group with directors who include a gas industry executive and a Liberal
candidate running in the federal election.
Lawyers acting for Climate Integrity, a not-for-profit focused on corporate
accountability, have filed a complaint with the ACCC. They argue that the
website and advertising materials of Australians for Natural Gas have failed to
disclose its directors’ links to the gas industry and Liberal party, and
overinflated the role of gas in the economy and energy transition.
On its website, Australians for Natural Gas describes itself as a
“not-for-profit organisation representing the interests of Aussie households,
industries and producers”. The company was registered in January 2025 with Joel
Riddle and Nathaniel Smith among its directors, according to information
provided to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Riddle is the chief executive of the gas company Tamboran Resources, which
holds the largest share of acreage in the Beetaloo basin, according to the
company’s website. Smith was installed as the Liberal candidate for the New
South Wales seat of Whitlam after the party’s initial choice was disendorsed,
and was a member of the NSW parliament from 2019 to 2023.
The complaint to the ACCC alleges that Australians for Natural Gas has
represented itself on its website and on social media as a grassroots
not-for-profit organisation, failing to disclose its directors’ interests.
It says the company overstates the contribution of gas to the Australian
economy, by relying on out-of-date information; overstates the global demand
for gas; and that its claims about the role of gas exploration in reducing
electricity bills do not disclose that the cheapest electricity is from
renewable sources.
The complaint also alleges that claims of reduced emissions thanks to gas
replacing coal are misleading because they ignore research about the emissions
associated with the processing and transportation of liquefied natural gas, and
assume gas would not in fact replace renewable energy.
The director of Climate Integrity, Claire Snyder, said Australians for Natural
Gas appeared to be “an incredibly brazen example of astroturfing”.
“One thing that was concerning to us is that this website popped up right at
the beginning of an election campaign, when energy is a critical and
vote-deciding issue,” she said.
She said Climate Integrity was raising its concerns with the ACCC to ensure a
factual and evidence-based public discussion of energy and climate change, and
the role of gas in the transition to zero emissions, particularly during the
election."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
