Select Committee on the Taxation of Gas Resources

The Select Committee on the Taxation of Gas Resources was a select committee of the Australian senate, tabled on 7 May 2026. It was established to investigate the tax treatment of Australian oil and gas, among other issues related to gas taxation. The committee consisted of 6 members, and 5 participating members and 6 secretariats.

Background A movement advocating for a significant increase in taxes of Australia's liquefied natural gas to a 25% tax levy on export revenue had garnered significant support online before the establishment of the committee. This followed The Australia Institute report that Australia raises more money from beer excise than it does from the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax. Independent Senator David Pocock received almost 10 million views on Instagram in campaigning for the gas tax, and the movement was supported by conservative billionaire Clive Palmer, the Greens, a progressive political party, among others.

Members

Member Party State Steph Hodgins-May Chair Greens Victoria Varun Ghosh Deputy Chair Labor Western Australia Lisa Darmanin Labor Victoria Susan McDonald Liberal National Queensland David Pocock Independent Australian Capital Territory Dean Smith Liberal Western Australia

Participating members Member Party State Sarah Hanson-Young Greens South Australia Fatima Payman Australia's Voice Western Australia Andrew McLachlan Liberal South Australia Larissa Waters Greens Queensland Peter Whish-Wilson Greens Tasmania

Hearings Organisation Person Role 21 April, 2026 The Australia Institute Richard Denniss Executive Director Punter's Politics Konrad Benjamin Founder Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Joshua Runciman Lead Australian Gas Analyst Australian Council of Social Service Kellie Caught Program Director for Climate and Energy Peter Davidson Principal Advisor The Superpower Institute Baethan Mullen Chief Executive Officer Centre for Policy Development Toby Phillips Economic Director Miles Prosser Energy Transition Lead Climate Council of Australia Greg Bourne Councillor Australian Conservation Foundation Adam Bandt Chief Executive Officer Annika Reynolds Head of Climate Policy Greenpeace Australia Pacific Joe Rafalowicz Head of Climate and Energy Labor Environment Action Network Janaline Oh National Secretary Future Group Christina Hobbs Policy and Advocacy Manager Private capacity Ken Henry rowspan="2" Ketan Joshi 22 April, 2026 Queensland Resources Council Janette Hewson Chief Executive Officer Jana Dore Policy Director External Affairs and Policy Director Economics Shell Australia Celia Wake Country Chair and EVP Integrated Gas Australia Coralie Trotter Head of Tax Asia Pacific and Middle East Business Council of Australia Bran Black Chief Executive Officer Steven Wright Director of Energy and Climate Change ConocoPhillips James Matthews General Manager of Government Affairs Natalie Wallach Head of Tax & Governance Origin Energy Tim O'Grady General Manager of Government Engagement Catherine Feng Head of Tax Tax Justice Network – Australia Mark Zirnsak Spokesperson Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research Jason Ward Principal Analyst Treasury Marty Robinson First Assistant Secretary Susan Bultitude Assistant Secretary Freya Carlton Assistant Secretary for Domestic Demand, International and Trade Branch Australian Taxation Office Michelle Sams Deputy Commissioner on Public Groups Engagement Suzie Emery Assistant Commissioner on Public Groups Engagement Rhys Manley Assistant Commissioner on Policy, Analysis and Legislation Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Anna Brakey Commissioner Angela Woo General Manager for Gas Markets Branch Wallace Starl Director for Gas Markets Branch Department of Industry, Science and Resources Sam Chard Head of Oil and Gas Division Norelle Laucher General Manager of Offshore Strategy Branch Crystal Ossolinski General Manager, Resources and Energy Insights Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Linda McGrath Head of National Energy Transformation Division Hew Atkin Acting Head of Gas Markets Division Andrew Pankowski Head of Gas Transformation Strategy Branch 24 April 2026 Centre for Mining, Energy and Natural Resources Law, University of Western Australia John Chandler Professor Climate Analytics Bill Hare Chief Executive Officer James Bowen Climate & Energy Policy Analyst Thomas Houlie Climate & Energy Policy Analyst Woodside Energy Graham Tiver Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Tony Cudmore Executive Vice President in Sustainability, Policy and External Affairs Chevron Australia Maggie McCourt General Manager of Finance Kynan Scarr General Manager of Asset Development Australian Energy Producers Samantha McCulloch Chief Executive Office Matthew Steen Principal Advisor - Economic Policy INPEX Australia Bill Townsend Senior Vice President Corporate Mike Gardiner Vice President Finance, Treasury and Technology Cameron McPhie General Manager Decarbonisation Conservation Council of Western Australia Matt Roberts Executive Director Liam Lilly Research Coordinator Greta Carroll Fossil Fuels Senior Campaigner Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia Aaron Morey Chief Executive Officer Steven Mills Manager of Climate and Energy Private Capacity Bill Johnston Asia Natural Gas and Energy Australia David Wawn Senior Advisor Santos Limited Tracey Winters Chief Strategy Officer

Events During the committee, former treasury secretary Ken Henry urged the government to implement the 25% levy tax.

References