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Jacob Shteyman

Gas lobby gets its wish as Labor changes reserve scheme

The gas industry lobbied for ministerial powers to be curtailed regarding the gas reserve scheme. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

Labor has yielded to gas industry demands and reined in the resource minister's powers as part of a controversial domestic gas reservation scheme.

Resources Minister Madeleine King will announce the change to the legislation, which she will introduce to parliament on Wednesday, in a speech to the National Press Club.

As well as limiting ministerial discretion over how much gas an exporter can be forced to reverse for the Australian market, Ms King says she has also made it harder to game the scheme and ensured states and territories will be consulted on decisions that affect them.

A gas industry lobby group called for ministerial discretion to be narrowed in a submission to the draft legislation in September.

Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King
Resources Minister Madeleine King will introduce changes to the gas reserve scheme on Wednesday. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

The reservation policy risked crowding out domestic-focused producers, reducing competition and diversity of supply, and discouraging investment in gas supply, Australian Energy Producers, chief executive Samantha McCulloch said.

Labor has already watered down the proposal after an uproar from gas companies, changing a requirement for exporters to set aside 20 per cent of their production for the domestic market to a more ambiguous obligation of "up to 20 per cent".

Existing contracts are also exempt from the obligation.

A broad range of critics, from unions and conservationists to business groups, say the draft legislation provides exporters such as Santos loopholes to continue selling gas to the more lucrative foreign market at the expense of domestic users.

"The gas reservation debate looks complex but it really isn't," Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said.

"Will we do now what we should have done before, and put strong clear and fair expectations on gas exporters ahead of their next wave of contracts? 

"Or will we fudge it until it's too late, and condemn Australia to decades more of costly insecurity?"

Samantha McCulloch, chief executive of Australian Energy Producers
The policy risked reducing competition and limiting gas investment, Samantha McCulloch says. (Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS)

Ms King will say that Australia's gas exports have played an important role in maintaining peace in the Asia-Pacific, according to an excerpt of her speech.

"A successful, peaceful energy transition relies on continued Australian exports of energy," she will say.

"We must continue exporting traditional commodities - like gas and coal - while our export markets still need them, and while our regional trading partners follow their important paths to net zero."

Deputy Greens leader Steph Hodgins-May vowed to keep up the pressure for a 25 per cent tax on gas exports instead of the reservation scheme.

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