The Queensland government’s gas pilot program provides good template for how gas could be developed on Australia’s eastern seaboard, according to Manufacturing Australia.
The program provides a piece of land in the Surat Basin for gas extraction solely by domestic companies and manufacturers.
“If gas intensive manufacturing is to continue in Australia we need more gas, more gas suppliers and the right policies in place to ensure new gas development actually benefits local businesses,” Mr Chellew said.
“Queensland has lots of gas. We should be able to have the best of both worlds: gas for manufacturing and gas for export,” he said.
In recent years, manufacturers have often failed to secure long-term gas contracts because of the country’s focus on maximising export- revenue from cheap LNG exports.
Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the plan was a way to address the “lack of a political backbone” in NSW and Victoria by leaders who were not prepared “to do the things that needed to be done”.
“The reality is we need more east coast gas because Victoria and NSW have put moratoriums on their industry based on no scientific reason,” Mr Macfarlane said.