Reports that Woodside is lobbying the government for more taxpayer subsidies to extract fossil fuels are deeply troubling.
The reports say that the oil and methane giant is asking for the same government underwriting system now being offered to new renewables projects to be extended to include new methane gas projects as well.
This would result in even more taxpayer money going into supporting an industry which is wiping out any positive climate initiatives governments try to undertake.
Friends of the Earth Offshore Fossil Gas Campaigner Jeff Waters says the government should reject this grab for taxpayer money.
“What cheek these methane barons have,” he said.
“They want to suck more of this dangerous gas — almost 90 times worse than carbon dioxide — out from beneath the ocean so they can prop up their massive profits with taxpayer money.”
“Friends of the Earth is appealing to the government to see this move for what it is: abject greed.”
“Instead of underwriting new offshore methane wells we should be banning them outright to protect our families from the climate crisis we are all facing,” Jeff Waters said.