Morrison’s Turnbull-style backdown shows ‘gas led recovery’ is just for foreign nations

The Prime Minister’s capitulation to LNG exporters today confirms his ‘gas led recovery’ will benefit foreign nations, but not Australian workers, according to the Australian Workers’ Union.

AWU National Secretary Daniel Walton said after years of tough talk, Scott Morrison’s capitulation to LNG exporters today was acutely disappointing.

“By rejecting price controls, or any other measures to ensure Australian gas reaches Australian employers at a reasonable price, Mr Morrison’s deal is basically identical to the weak and pointless bargain negotiated by Malcolm Turnbull,” Mr Walton said.

“This deal sells out Australian manufacturing workers to benefit a handful of multinational giants who extract our gas and export it to Asia.

“Australia is lucky enough to have some of the most abundant gas reserves in the world. Morrison’s deal ensures that advantage will be squandered as our local manufactures cop gas prices higher than global competitors. This deal ensures Australians will continue to pay more for our own gas than foreigners.

“What was the point of the months of tough talk about price controls and gas reservation if this spineless capitulation was the end point? At least Malcolm’s weak backdown happened quicker.

“The only difference between Turnbull’s backdown and Morrison’s is Malcolm preferred his gas boss photo opps in boardrooms with cups of tea, and Scott prefers high-vis dress ups. But the result for workers is exactly the same.

“The only way multinational gas procurers will ever sell Australia’s gas to Australian factories at a reasonable price is if the government makes them. Anyone claiming otherwise is either gullible or lying.

“We should be expanding Australia’s gas sector, but there’s not a great deal of point if we don’t use that gas to boost employment and economic growth. Affordable gas is critical if Australia’s wants to firm renewables and transition to a clean energy future.”