<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/09/australian-ministers-met-japanese-gas-companies-20-times-amid-fossil-fuel-lobbying-push>
"Australian government ministers met Japanese gas company executives more than
20 times in the last term of parliament as Labor encouraged investment in the
fossil fuel industry.
The list of meetings is detailed in a report by the thinktank InfluenceMap that
argues Japanese liquefied natural gas (LNG) companies have worked with
Australian gas interests to lobby for favourable local government policy to
prolong the life of the industry and slow a shift to clean energy in the
Asia-Pacific.
InfluenceMap quantified the role of Japanese operators in developing and
sustaining Australia’s LNG export industry. Companies including Inpex, Jera,
Mitsubishi and Mitsui were found to have more than A$70bn in equity in 13
Australian LNG developments.
These developments made up about 17% of global LNG capacity. The largest
investment is in the Icthys gas field development in the Timor Sea, backed
primarily by Inpex.
InfluenceMap found, based on their projected output, the 13 developments could
be associated with 290m tonnes in carbon dioxide emissions a year – equivalent
to about two-thirds of Australia’s total annual climate pollution.
It said Japanese interests had worked publicly and privately to maintain a
favourable policy environment for gas in Australia. Freedom-of-information
documents showed the resources minister, Madeleine King, had met at least 17
times with Japanese LNG representatives.
Four other ministers – including the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, who met
the representatives from Inpex – were listed as having single meetings. At
least three meetings were held with senior officials. InfluenceMap said weak
Australian lobbying transparency rules meant it was likely there were further
meetings that did not turn up in its document requests.
But it said the lobbying appeared to shape key climate and energy policies,
including the “future gas strategy” released by King in 2024 that said new
sources of gas to meet demand would be needed “to 2050 and beyond” – after both
the Australian and Japanese governments have committed to reach net zero
emissions.
InfluenceMap said talking points supplied to King by the Department of
Industry, Science and Resources in a briefing pack before the minister visited
Japan in October 2024 echoed language used by the gas industry. The department
advised King to tell industry and government leaders that Australia was firmly
committed to remaining a reliable provider of LNG “in support of energy
security while transitioning to net zero” and welcomed “further investment in
our gas industry”.
Japan has limited access to energy domestically and is largely reliant on
energy imports, including Australian gas and coal. The governments of both
countries have argued Japan needs an increased supply of gas to help cut
emissions by replacing coal-fired power and supporting renewable energy.
But leaked “cabinet in confidence” advice to the Western Australian government
obtained by
Guardian Australia last year challenged this idea, warning
unlimited Australian gas exports to Japan and neighbouring countries risked
slowing the move to cleaner energy in Asia.
A separate report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis
found Japanese companies have resold more than a third of the gas they bought
from Australia, reaping more than $1bn in profit in 2024. Critics including
Labor backbencher Ed Husic have argued this showed Japanese multinationals were
profiting from Australian gas that was not needed to meet energy demand in
their own country."
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
