Greens push for Senate inquiry as pressure mounts on Queensland Museum over fossil fuel ties

The campaign to end fossil fuel sponsorship at the Queensland Museum has intensified, with dozens of prominent Australians and advocacy groups demanding the institution sever ties with the industry.

Around 50 people protested outside the museum on Wednesday morning, including representatives from the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), the Wilderness Society and Doctors for the Environment Australia.

The Australian Greens have lodged a motion in the Senate, calling for an inquiry into the fossil fuel industry’s influence on children.

The push follows the release of the landmark report ‘From Cradle to Career’, which found coal, oil and gas companies were involved in more than 260 education initiatives and sponsorships nationwide.

“Fossil fuel companies teaching children about climate change is like tobacco companies teaching health education or gambling companies teaching financial literacy,” said Greens senator Steph Hodgins-May.

“My message to the fossil fuel industry is simple: keep your hands off our kids and get out of our classrooms.”

The museum is being urged to terminate its partnership with Shell’s Queensland Gas Company (QGC) following claims that its branded teaching materials “downplayed or omitted fossil fuels as the primary driver of climate change.”

“As a retired teacher, you trust the museum to be giving you accurate information,” said Jo Fraser, who is also a Queensland councillor with the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF).

“If they’re doing professional development workshops for teachers and handing out materials and programs, you’re expecting that it’s going to be accurate scientific information,” she said.

Climate communications group Comms Declare raised concerns about the partnership and educational materials in December 2025, releasing a report that showed the museum had accepted $10.25 million in funding from Shell’s QGC since 2015.

“Our children have become the innocent victims of the Queensland Museum’s quest for millions of dollars in funding, which has undermined our children’s education and their knowledge of climate change,” said Simon English, one of the founders of the End Fossil Fuels Sponsorships group.

Protesters had hoped to give Queensland Museum CEO Renai Grace an open letter and petition, signed by dozens of prominent Australians and organisations calling for an end to the institution’s ties to the industry.

However, they said museum staff refused to accept the documents.

“It was ridiculous. It’s two small bundles of paper. What would it hurt to just accept it and take it?” asked Ms Fraser.

“It’s not good enough,” said ACF volunteer Warren Fraser.

“I think it needs to be called out really loudly because they’re hiding, and because deep down, I think people know this is a dodgy deal.

“You shouldn’t be accepting millions of dollars from fossil fuel companies in exchange for your social licence.”

Among the signatories are award-winning authors Tim Winton and Natalie Kyriacou, Professors Lesley Hughes and Ian Lowe, former fire chief Greg Mullins and organisations including Parents for Climate, Queensland Conservation Council and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.

“There are organisations representing millions of Australians that want to make something known to the head of a public institution, and they refuse to even accept the pieces of paper,” said Mr Fraser.

The open letter calls on the museum to end the partnership and “follow the lead of other public institutions around the globe which are turning away from partnerships with fossil fuels.”

Earlier this year, the Australian Capital Territory became the first state or territory to ban fossil fuel sponsorships in its schools.

In November 2025, Monash University announced it would end its controversial ties with fossil fuel giant Woodside Energy, with vice-chancellor Professor Sharon Pickering saying the decision reflected clear expectations from the university community that its partnerships align with its values.