Coinciding with Prime Minister Takaichi’s visit to Australia, today’s full‑page advertisements in the Daily Telegraph, Canberra Times, and regional newspapers, urge the Albanese Government to follow Japan’s lead and start taxing Australian gas properly.

Australia Institute research shows:

• The Japanese government has collected more tax from Australian gas exports than the Australian government has.
• If the Albanese Government had implemented a 25% tax on gas exports when it came to office, it would have collected more than $69 billion by now.
• Seven in 10 voters nationwide (72%) agree gas export companies should pay a 25% gas export tax.
  • This includes four in five Labor voters (80%).

“The Japanese government has been running rings around successive Australian governments for decades and I congratulate them on that,” said Australia Institute co-CEO Dr Richard Denniss.

“Every week that the Australian government delays a 25% gas export tax costs Australians $350 million in lost revenue. That is money that could fund hospitals, schools, and the NDIS, instead of padding the profits of foreign‑owned gas companies.

“Foreign Minister Penny Wong has shown in her recent interactions with China that our government can stand up for Australia’s interests in a respectful and responsible way. The Prime Minister could do the same with other trading partners in the region but, when it comes to gas, he is choosing not to do so.

“It really is extraordinary just how fundamentally Australia has been outplayed by other nations when it comes to the exploitation of our natural resources.

“While Anthony Albanese cannot go back in time and correct the mistakes of his predecessors, he can stand up to the gas export industry today and fix things going forward.

Australians understand that we only get to sell our gas once, and that delaying a 25% export tax is costing us $50 million every day.

“The Japanese government has made good decisions on behalf of its citizens. It’s time that the Australian government put the interests of Australian citizens first.

“A government that can’t manage to get a fair price for our resources obviously can’t do a good job of managing our economy.”