Letter from Australia: ‘Gas-led recovery’ under the microscope

The government has made remarkably little progress on its plans since unveiling the agenda in September 2020

Canberra’s plans for a “gas-led recovery” have been part of the public discourse since May last year, when the National Covid-19 Commission Advisory Board’s proposal for a manufacturing renaissance fed on cheap gas was first leaked to the media. Since then, the plan has drawn a steady stream of criticism from utilities, environmental lobbyists and even upstream players. Adding insult to injury, even the country’s gas market operator has begun to question the tangible benefits of such a plan for the manufacturing sector. Market reset When Prime Minister Scott Morrison first revealed details of the plan, he talked about “resetting” the east coast gas market. He saw his government achieving thi