Select Committee on Why Gas Companies Pay Less for Offshore Liquefied Natural Gas than Australians Pay in Beer Excise

David Pocock

I move:

(1) That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee on Why Gas Companies Pay Less for Offshore Liquefied Natural Gas than Australians Pay in Beer Excise, be established to inquire into and report on:

(a) the amount of Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) paid on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG);

(b) reasons for the low revenue generated by PRRT paid on LNG;

(c) policies other jurisdictions such as Norway and Qatar have in place that has resulted in much higher revenue being generated through the sale of gas and oil in those jurisdictions;

(d) the proposal from the Australian Council of Trade Unions for a 25% tax on gas export revenue;

(e) the impact on Australian businesses and households of the increase in gas prices since 2016;

(f) what could be done with the additional revenue generated by effectively taxing the offshore LNG industry; and

(g) any other related matters.

(2) That the committee present its final report by 11 May 2026.

(3) That the committee consist of 6 senators, as follows:

(a) two nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate;

(b) two nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate;

(c) one crossbench senator; and

(d) Senator David Pocock.

(4) That:

(a) participating members may be appointed to the committee on the nomination of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate or any minority party or independent senator;

(b) participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of members of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee; and

(c) a participating member shall be taken to be a member of a committee for the purpose of forming a quorum of the committee if a majority of members of the committee is not present.

(5) That the committee may proceed to the dispatch of business notwithstanding that all members have not been duly nominated and appointed and notwithstanding any vacancy.

(6) That Senator David Pocock chair the committee, and the committee elect as deputy chair a member nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

(7) That the deputy chair shall act as chair when the chair is absent from a meeting of the committee or the position of chair is temporarily vacant.

(8) That the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, may appoint another member of the committee to act as chair during the temporary absence of both the chair and deputy chair at a meeting of the committee.

(9) That, in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote.

(10) That the committee have power to send for and examine persons and documents, to move from place to place, to sit in public or in private, notwithstanding any prorogation of the Parliament or dissolution of the House of Representatives, and have leave to report from time to time its proceedings and the evidence taken and such interim recommendations as it may deem fit.

(11) That the committee be provided with all necessary staff, facilities and resources and be empowered to appoint persons with specialist knowledge for the purposes of the committee with the approval of the President.

(12) That the committee be empowered to print from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by it, and a daily Hansard be published of such proceedings as take place in public.

Sue Lines

The question is that general business notice of motion No. 381 standing in the name of Senator David Pocock be agreed to.