Bill Shorten pressures Daniels Andrews on gas exploration

Bill Shorten has put pressure on Premier Daniel Andrews and Victoria’s policy of locking up conventional gas.

Bill Shorten has urged Victorian Labor Premier Daniel Andrews to consider overturning his government’s moratorium on conventional gas exploration. Picture: David Geraghty

Bill Shorten has urged Victorian Labor Premier Daniel Andrews to consider overturning his government’s moratorium on conventional gas exploration, saying it would help put downward pressure on energy prices.

The Opposition Leader — who wants a 50 per cent Renewable Energy Target by 2030 — said he understood why states had banned fracking for environmental ­reasons but warned that a ban on conventional gas development had increased power bills.

The Andrews government banned fracking earlier this year and slapped a moratorium on conventional gas exploration until 2020.

Mr Shorten, who attacked the Turnbull government over its delay on implementing export controls to keep more gas in the domestic market, said conventional gas exploration should be encouraged. “There are legitimate community concerns about fracking,” he said, “(but) in terms of conventional gas, I do think we need to reconsider making sure we have got access to conventional gas supplies. We need to bring gas supply into the market, no question.”

Malcolm Turnbull, a strident critic of the Andrews government’s gas policy, attacked Mr Shorten in question time yesterday, suggesting his comments ­illustrated another “confession” of failed Labor policies.

“Not so long ago the Leader of the Opposition stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his comrade, the Premier of Victoria, in opposing the exploration and development of gas on the state of Victoria. Now in a blind panic (he) rushes out in front of the parliament and says, ‘I have changed my mind. I think they should be exploring for gas in Victoria.’ It’s good to see he’s putting his toe into the waters of the real world.”

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg, a Victorian MP, said moratoriums on gas exploration and development were “mindless”.

“Australia’s Chief Scientist has made it clear that a case-by-case approach based on the science should be adopted to gas development,” he said.

“More gas would help put downward pressure on electricity prices for Australian families and businesses.”

Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio’s spokesman said: “There is no shortage of gas in our country or our state; the problem is that we send the vast majority of it overseas. The single most effective thing the Prime Minister could do to increase gas supplies in Australia is to impose export controls and implement a domestic reserve — something he refuses to do.”

Health Minister Greg Hunt said Mr Shorten should pressure state Labor governments to allow more gas exploration.

“The Leader of the Opposition, after long support for the Andrews government ban on gas exploration Victoria, went at the knees,” he said in question time yesterday.

“There’s a simple proposition for the Leader of the Opposition: if he actually supports gas, he should move now to say to the Victorian government, to the Northern Territory government and to the West Australian government that they should allow gas ­exploration.”

The Turnbull government failed to criticise the Berejiklian ­Coalition government in NSW over its tight fracking restrictions, however.