‘It’s fired people up’: support grows, including within Labor, for new gas tax to curb wartime profits

Government, industry and opposition see growing public support for a new gas tax but the industry is fighting back

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The gas industry is mobilising in opposition to a potential new tax on the sector as political momentum builds – including among Labor MPs – for the government to use the May budget to prevent producers profiting from the Middle East war.

The Australian Energy Producers (AEP) chief executive, Samantha McCulloch, claimed a new tax would punish the same Asian trading partners Australia was leaning on to supply more fuel amid the global energy crisis.