Australia’s post-election energy priorities

With the gas industry’s staunchest advocates and opponents taking brutal blows, the sector looks like treading a path of insipid indifference

As the dust settles on Australia’s 2025 elections, a new political reality is emerging for the country’s gas sector. The Labor party has consolidated power, expanding its majority in the House and gaining ground in the Senate, positioning it to pursue its legislative agenda with greater flexibility. But while the government’s authority has grown, its interest in upstream gas has not. The elections were something of a mixed bag for the sector: its traditional allies may have been weakened, but so too have its most vocal opponents. Once seen as the gas industry’s natural ally, the Coalition was routed, with even its leader Peter Dutton losing his seat. This marked the first time an opposition