Midnight Oil and Missy Higgins Lead Push for Gas Export Tax

Midnight Oil, Missy Higgins and around 150 other prominent musicians have added their voices to the growing chorus of Australians calling on the Albanese Government to introduce a 25 per cent tax on gas exports.

The Prime Minister is now being lobbied by some of his favourite musicians, including Angie McMahon, Ruby Fields, Amyl and The Sniffers and Aussie rock band King Stingray, his most-played artist for 2025.

In a short video, they call on “Albo” to commit to the levy, to help “relieve the cost-of-living pressure” and “change the game” for Australia.

Ocean Alley’s Mitch Galbraith, whose song “Life in Love” was one of the PM’s personal picks for the triple j Hottest 100 for 2025, delivered a simple message.

“Come on mate, everyone wants that tax and it’s only going to make our communities greener and fairer,” he said.

“It’s time to make polluters and profiteers pay their fair share.”

Berish Bilander, CEO of Green Music Australia, said the industry can’t afford to stay silent as climate impacts escalate.

“The music sector is already experiencing the impacts of the climate crisis, with more than 50 Australian festivals cancelled since 2015 due to extreme weather,” he said.

In an open letter, the artists challenged the PM to “fund a future worth singing about.”

“War in the Middle East is destabilising global energy supply, and Australian gas corporations are reaping unprecedented profits,” they wrote to the Federal Government.

“While costs rise for everyone else, fossil fuel executives and shareholders are pocketing billions in unexpected gains directly tied to war and violence.”

The artists pointed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and highlighted how the global energy shocks “enabled Australian gas exporters like Woodside, Santos, Chevron and Shell to more than double their profits, making over $92 billion in 2022 alone.”

Research by the Australia Institute shows a 25 per cent gas export tax would raise $17 billion in revenue every year.

The music industry argues, “even a fraction” of that revenue could help “revitalise our national cultural infrastructure at a time when it is under serious strain.”

“We believe polluters have a responsibility to pay for the negative impact they have caused on our communities, and to our music and arts sectors,” they wrote.

“Musicians speak up when leaders fall short. We often reflect the will of the people, especially when those in power refuse to.”

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet recently asked Treasury to model new tax options, including an overhaul of the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) and a windfall profits levy.

The Australia Institute co-CEO Dr Richard Denniss said, “Australians are sick of the delay and the excuses.”

Cross-party and independent MPs and senators were on hand in Canberra this week to help launch the Australia Institute’s Gas Giveaway Live Revenue Tracker, which shows, in real time, the revenue being lost while the government fails to act.

Dr Denniss said Australia is losing $350,000 a week – equivalent to roughly $68 billion since July 2022.

Independent MP Allegra Spender has been leading calls for the Treasurer to impose an urgent windfall tax of at least 50 per cent on the “extraordinary profits” of oil and gas giants.

“The supernormal profits made by a few companies during this time is not a reward for effort or ingenuity, or a driver of investment; it is the windfall from war,” she said.