Federal Labor are refusing to comment on claims by former South Australian Senator, Rex Patrick, that Madeleine King’s Energy Department is refusing to release details around briefings and an options paper regarding a domestic gas reservation policy.
Patrick wrote on www.michaelwest.com.au that his freedom of information (FOI) request for those documents was denied, and large law firm Clayton Utz has been employed to defend the secrecy.
WA’s successful gas reservation policy
The Echo asked Minister King’s office, ‘If correct, what public interest arguments are there for this refusal?; Does the minister agree a domestic gas reservation policy is a good idea in principle, given her state of WA has been successful in keeping gas prices down through a reservation policy?; and, When is there likely to be an announcement around this policy?’ Minister King’s office replied to The Echo, ‘The matter is currently before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and it would be inappropriate to comment further’.
Her office referred to a press release on how Labor were addressing rising gas prices – from last December.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
