On 25 May 2026, I gave a Speech on the Gas Lobby.
Transcript:
Ms WATSON-BROWN (Ryan)
Who really runs this country?
Is it the gas corporations, or the Australian people?
The government has chosen the gas corporations.
Prior to the budget, the Prime Minister flew to Perth specifically to reassure the gas companies that he would not implement the 25% tax on gas exports that the Australian people are demanding. Who is he really governing for?
The major gas companies each gave $1 million dollars to an advertising campaign that wasn’t for the Australian people - it was to remind politicians who they really work for.
And it clearly worked on the PM.
Of course it worked - the gas companies and lobby groups are full of former Labor staff. And vice versa, Queensland Labor Senator Anthony Chisholm worked as a lobbyist for gas company Santos before he entered Parliament. They’re all mates, aren’t they? And we wouldn’t want to do anything to hurt the profits of our good mates in the gas industry.
That is who we’re up against. That’s why I’m so proud of every Australian that’s signed a petition, sent an email to their MP, shared this campaign online. It’s only through people power that we can be louder than the gas industry.