Letter from Australia: Canberra’s gas vision in crisis
Opposition politicians and media sniff blood over an economic revival strategy driven by natural gas, rather than renewables
Australia’s National Covid-19 Commission (NCC)—set up in March to advise the government on how to respond to the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the economy—is facing increasing scrutiny over its staunch support for gas. The NCC’s advice to Prime Minister Scott Morrison is to underwrite investment in new gas pipelines. But, appearing before a mid-August Senate committee, NCC chairman Neville Power was quizzed on what role renewables could play and could offer only that the panel had not “looked at energy in that context”. Under-Powered He also suggested that it is not the commission’s role to “recommend specific projects”—seemingly ignoring the contradiction that it had suggested government
Also in this section
18 February 2026
With Texas LNG approaching financial close, Alaska LNG advancing towards a phased buildout and Magnolia LNG positioned for future optionality, Glenfarne CEO Brendan Duval says the coming year will demonstrate how the company’s more focused, owner-operator approach is reshaping LNG infrastructure development in the North America
18 February 2026
The global gas industry is no longer on the backfoot, hesitantly justifying the value of its product, but has greater confidence in gas remaining a core part of the global energy mix for decades
18 February 2026
With marketable supply unlikely to grow significantly and limited scope for pipeline imports, Brazil is expected to continue relying on LNG to cover supply shortfalls, Ieda Gomes, senior adviser of Brazilian thinktank FGV Energia,
tells Petroleum Economist
17 February 2026
The 25th WPC Energy Congress, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 26–30 April 2026, will bring together leaders from the political, industrial, financial and technology sectors under the unifying theme “Pathways to an Energy Future for All”
