The Australia Institute launches campaign for gas export tax reform

The Australia Institute and the agency Berlin have launched the second phase of a campaign titled ‘Big Gas is Taking the Piss’ to advocate for gas export tax reform in Australia.

The campaign is based on research indicating that more than half of Australia’s exported gas attracts zero royalty payments. Proponents of the reform argue that without a 25% gas export tax, the country loses an estimated $49.8 million per day, which equates to approximately $17 billion annually.

The initiative aims to pressure the government to implement taxation to capture revenue that could otherwise fund public services such as childcare, university, and TAFE. The campaign emphasizes that because gas is a finite resource, failing to tax exports properly results in permanent revenue loss for the nation.