PERTH, Wednesday 29 April 2026 —With the Prime Minister expected to sit down for breakfast with WA's gas and mining lobby this morning, Greenpeace is urging the PM to resist pressure to scrap a long-overdue gas tax and instead deliver a better deal for West Australians.
The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA (CMEWA) as well as the corporations it represents, including gas giants like Woodside and Chevron, have been publicly urging both state and federal leaders to kill off the prospect of a tax on gas exports.
While gas corporations continue to rake in massive profits from activity that poses huge risks to our climate, oceans and collective future, they are compensating WA in ever-shrinking amounts, with gas royalties to the state budget forecast to plummet 88% by 2029 (from $1.37bn to $167m), according to analysis by Springmount Advisory.
A strong tax on gas exports could unlock enormous public revenue for WA, which could provide cost-of-living relief, fund public services like education and healthcare, and grow the speed and scale of WA's transition away from polluting fossil fuels, into a global renewable energy leader.
David Ritter, CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: "Now is the time for the federal government to do the right thing by the Australian people. For years, gas corporations have profited handsomely from extracting Australia's resources, while jeopardising our precious environment and climate—and giving back little in return.
"As a West Australian, I am appalled by the profits that the big gas corporations have been hauling in, at the expense of our magnificent environment and with so little return to the community.
"The Albanese government has a clear opportunity to do what would be both popular and right by redistributing some of the profits of the gas corporations to the people of Australia through taxation.
"Ultimately, it is a question of social cohesion. With millions of Australians facing rising cost of living pressures, the Albanese government should step up and tax gas corporations for the benefit of all those who are doing it tough, and the future of our country.
"The dangers of relying on oil and gas have been highlighted by the current fossil fuel crisis, but this moment could be a turning point for WA and Australia. By securing a strong, fair tax from the gas industry, the state can transition away from risky and destructive oil and gas markets, and invest in a renewable-powered future.
"If Roger Cook and Anthony Albanese genuinely care about getting the best deal for West Australians, they should be racing to tax gas exports properly. It's time to secure a fair share of revenue from these industries, and use it to back the transition away from fossil fuels and toward clean industries that will create jobs, strengthen communities, and secure WA's economic future."
