A Senate committee’s lame recommendations to the federal government after a 28-month inquiry into Australia’s oil and gas reserves have triggered calls for the establishment of an oil and gas national benefit czar to maximise the benefits to the public of the exploitation of natural resources.

Crossbench Senator Rex Patrick is also pushing for more transparency on oil and gas reserves still in the ground, an additional royalty on production projects, and a fee on producers as a fallback to cover decommissioning costs for disused offshore platforms.