Climate communications group Comms Declare and grassroots campaigners Lock the Gate Alliance have lodged a complaint against a Santos advertisement with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and Ad Standards.
The ad in question was published in the Quirindi Advocate on March 20, touting the proposed Narrabri gas project as essential for delivering critical gas supply to the east coast market and beneficial for keeping the lights on.
The complaint argues that the ad is misleading. According to the complainants, the development of the Narrabri gas project is uncertain, and even if it proceeds, the gas produced is unlikely to be used for household electricity generation.
This challenge follows a Federal Court decision two weeks prior that cast doubt on the project by ruling that the Native Title Tribunal had not sufficiently considered the impacts of climate change on the Gomeroi Traditional Owners.
Belinda Noble, Founder of Comms Declare, expressed her concerns: “Not content with trying to buy support by splashing cash on sports and sponsorships in the region, Santos is now pretending its fossil gas development is an essential public service. Its claim ignores the fact that in the past 12 months, NSW used gas for only 2% of its electricity generation, that we already use ten times more renewables for electricity than gas and that gas use is rapidly declining.”
Margaret Fleck, spokesperson for Lock the Gate and a Mullaley landholder, added: “Landholders are under enough stress already, without being led up the garden path by propaganda. People need to make business decisions and personal decisions which must be based on fact, not false statements. High quality agricultural land like that in the Liverpool Plains must not be destroyed for the sake of a polluting gas pipeline that, contrary to Santos’ claims, won’t make a lick of difference to how the average NSW household is powered. It’s long past time for Santos to walk away from the Narrabri Gas Project.”
The complaint underscores the ongoing tension between environmental advocates and energy companies, highlighting the need for transparent and factual communication about energy projects and their potential impacts.
Comms Declare, a coalition of over 95 ad agencies and hundreds of communications professionals, has committed to not promoting the growth of fossil fuels, high greenhouse gas pollution as ‘business as usual’, or any form of deception, distraction, or spin around science or climate actions.
Recognizing Australia’s significant role as a fossil fuel exporter, Comms Declare encourages agencies to prioritize climate-conscious work. They are known for initiatives like the annual F-list awards and the Fossil Ad Ban campaign, which aim to shift the industry’s focus towards sustainable practices.
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