Gas Industry

Opened the debate

Waters argued that the Santos facility had leaked methane for nearly two decades, with notifications made to the Clean Energy Regulator in 2020 and NOPSEMA in late 2024. Waters claimed that the CSIRO conducted monitoring for Santos but did not publish the results, suggesting a lack of transparency. The senator contended that multiple federal regulators failed to require repairs or inform the public, despite the leak's significant climate impact. Waters called for ministers to explain why regulators allowed the leak to continue and for Santos to be compelled to fix the issue immediately.

Government response

Ghosh opposed the motion, stating that the government had asked its department to investigate the reports as part of broader methane reporting work. Ghosh clarified that the tank in question was not currently in operation and that its future use depended on Northern Territory regulatory approval. The minister defended the integrity of agencies like the CSIRO, Clean Energy Regulator, and NOPSEMA, arguing that the motion lacked factual basis and misunderstood their jurisdictions. Ghosh noted that emissions were reported under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act and that improvements to methane monitoring were already underway.

Opposition response

Brockman opposed the motion, characterising it as a scare campaign that ignored publicly reported information. Brockman argued that the leaks were known, included in safety cases, and accounted for in emissions reporting as required by law. The senator contended that the Greens were attempting to undermine the gas industry, which is vital for energy security and economic prosperity. Brockman warned that shutting down gas infrastructure would harm the economy and communities dependent on it.