Labor to champion gas in new strategy

The Albanese government will bolster its support for new gas fields as Australia moves towards net-zero in order to ensure the lights stay on and power bills remain affordable despite growing pressure to ease reliance on the fossil fuel.

In its “future gas strategy” to be released on Thursday, Labor will back the case for new gas fields and import terminals to shore up adequate, affordable supplies.

It will say Australia is at risk of shortages within four years unless supply is bolstered.

Resources Minister Madeline King said there were “uses for gas we can’t substitute” yet.

“We hope to (find a substitute for gas), but we don’t know when that will be possible. In the meantime, we can’t have wishful thinking without backup,” she said. “The 5 million households across the country that rely on gas for their heating and energy while we transition to electrification, that gas needs to be affordable, and to be affordable you need reliable supply.”

She said it was hard to predict how much gas would be used for Australia’s energy requirements over the next two to three decades.

The strategy will say new supplies are fundamental to the economic transition to netzero emissions and the industries in Labor’s “made in Australia” agenda.

An report supplementing the strategy will reveal Australia could fill future shortfalls by opening new gas fields in Scarborough, off the WA coast, and in Narrabri, in northern NSW.

The strategy will include measures to abate emissions from gas in a bid to soften environmental backlashes.