Freo independent announces plan to end ‘gas industry ownership of media’ in WA’s daily newspaper

A teal independent running for the state seat of Fremantle has taken a potshot at Seven West Media’s shareholder links to the gas industry on the second page of the business’ own daily newspaper, The West Australian.

In an advert, Kate Hulett announced a plan to introduce legislation to prevent the gas industry from owning and controlling media outlets in Western Australia.

Teal independent candidate for the WA seat of Fremantle, Kate Hulett.

“We need to restore integrity and transparency to government dealings with the gas industry. Big gas companies owning media outlets – and vice versa – is bad for our state,” the ad read.

Seven Group Holdings is the major shareholder of the Kerry Stokes-chaired Seven West Media, as well as SGH Energy, which has interests in the Crux gas field in the Browse Basin and a 100 per cent interest in the Longtom gas field off the coast of Victoria.

SGH is also the major shareholder of Beach Energy, which has interests across Australia including onshore gas fields in WA.

Hulett said Seven West Media’s gas links incentivised it to promote and protect the industry, which it benefited from financially.

“This surely doesn’t pass the pub test,” she said in a statement.

“The influence of big gas companies, and the media outlets they own, is blatantly bad for our state.

“Time and time again, we’re seeing government decisions that put gas industry profits above the interests of everyday West Australians. This repeated lack of integrity in government dealings is jeopardising our future.”

Hulett fancies herself a chance to unseat long-time Labor minister Simone McGurk from Fremantle as concern about climate change and emissions from the state’s gas industry heats up in the port city.

Fremantle is a very safe Labor seat, with a two-party preferred margin of 15.7 per cent.

Labor has only lost the seat once in a 2009 byelection to the Greens’ Adele Carles, who outpolled Labor on first preferences.

Hulett’s election war chest has swelled with $50,000 in donations from Climate 200, which heavily supports the relation campaigns of climate-focused independents across the country, including federal Curtin MP Kate Chaney.

Hulett also announced she would push for an inquiry into WA Labor’s dealings with gas export companies and investigate the recent decision to allow some export of onshore gas extraction.

She would also introduce legislation to ban former government MPs and staffers working for gas companies and push for an investigation into damage caused to Murujuga rock art in the Pilbara.

Seven West Media has been contacted for comment.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.