ShareholdingsGiftsTravel and hospitality

The links between politicians and dirty energy

One in four parliamentarians or their immediate family have declared shareholdings in or gifts and travel or hospitality from companies that are among the nation's 100 largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters, an examination of the interest registers reveals.

Sean Johnson10 March 2022

Photo Chris LeBoutillier

Key facts

  • Total emissions: 296 million tonnes
  • Shareholdings: 134
  • Travel or hospitality: 58
  • Gifts: 42
  • Donations: $2.2 million since 2019

Fifty eight elected representatives have connections to companies that the parliament needs to regulate if Australia is to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and achieve substantial emissions reductions by 2030.

On a party basis, 31 (53.5%) are from Coalition parties, 25 (43%) are from Labor, and 2 (3.5%) are independents.

The connections are heavily concentrated with the very biggest emitters: 22 of 58 representatives have declared that they or their spouse/partner and dependent children have at some point this parliamentary term had interests in half of the top 10 emitters, which collectively belched out more direct (Scope 1) emissions in 2020-21 (150.1 million tonnes of C02-e) than the next 90 emitters combined (146.5 million tonnes).

As bad as these figures are, they probably understate the true number of politicians with links to emitters as the interest registers only require the disclosure of gifts, and travel or hospitality where the value exceeds $300.

Of course, having a financial or beneficial link to a large emitter does not automatically create a conflict of interest with a parliamentarian's public duties. Indeed several MPs and senators with direct or family shareholdings are advocates for meaningful action on climate change.

However the scale of the connections - at least 25% of the parliament - and the practice of emitters trying to influence politicians with gifts, travel and hospitality raises a perception of conflict of interest and weakens public confidence in Australia's democratic system.

Open Politics is progressively publishing information below on MPs and senators who have declared interests in the 100 largest emitters, along with the donations these companies have made to the major parties this parliamentary term.

On Tuesday we brought you information on companies ranked between 51 to 100 on the Clean Energy Regulator's 2020-21 emissions league table, and yesterday we added companies ranked between 11 - 50. Today we finish with the top 10.

Corporate emissions 2020-21

 Organisation name Rank Scope 1 Emissions Pecuniary interests Donations
AGL 1 40.2 million tonnes Shareholdings x 2, Travel/hospitality x 1 Nil
Origin Energy 4 14.9 million tonnes Shareholdings x 4 $4290
Chevron
8 9.6 million tonnes Travel/hospitality x 2 $166,000
Woodside 9 9.1 million tonnes Shareholdings x 9 $565,000
Santos 10 7.5 million tonnes Travel/hospitality x 6, Shareholdings x 2,
Other income x 1
$169,500
Rio Tinto 11 7.4 million tonnes Shareholdings x 6, Gifts x 2 Nil
Bluescope 13 6.5 million tonnes Shareholdings x 2 $197,600
INPEX 15 6.4 million tonnes Gifts x 1, Travel/hospitality x 1 Nil
South32 17 6.2 million tonnes Shareholdings x 11 Nil
BHP Group 22 3.7 million tonnes Shareholdings x 22 Nil
Qantas 26 2.5 million tonnes Shareholdings x 5, Gifts x 27, Travel/hospitality x 27 Nil
Fortescue 31 2.1 million tonnes Shareholdings x 3, Travel/hospitality x 1 Nil
Shell 35 1.7 million tonnes Travel/hospitality x 1 Nil
Incitec 37 1.5 million tonnes Shareholdings x 2 Nil
Orica 41 1.4 million tonnes Shareholdings x 3 Nil
Boral 42 1.3 million tonnes Shareholdings x 5 Nil
Wesfarmers 53 864,813 tonnes Shareholdings x 11, Gifts x 1 $449,350
Cleanaway 54 860,338 tonnes Shareholdings x 1 Nil
Suez 55 857,118 tonnes Shareholdings x 1 $55,900
Virgin Australia 57 845,653 tonnes Travel/hospitality x 17 Nil
Whitehaven Coal 58 815,706 tonnes Shareholdings x 2 $15,500
Northern Star 68 604,804 tonnes Shareholdings x 2 $105,500
Hancock Prospecting 69 588,884 tonnes Gifts x 1 $37,000
Newcrest 70 564,316 tonnes Shareholdings x 2 Nil
Ampol 71 551,804 tonnes Gifts x 3, Shareholdings x 1 $133,850
Aurizon 75 513,726 tonnes Shareholdings x 3 Nil
Toll 78 449,657 tonnes Travel/hospitality x 1 Nil
Beach Energy 84 405,005 tonnes Shareholdings x 2, Gifts x 1 Nil
Woolworths 88 363,232 tonnes Shareholdings x 12, Gifts 1 $29,490
Iluka Resources 89 349,047 tonnes Shareholdings x 2 Nil
Mineral Resources 93 296,341 tonnes Shareholdings x 3, Travel/hospitality x 1 $232,400
CSR 95 280,065 tonnes Shareholdings x 2 Nil
Coles 97 271,472 tonnes Shareholdings x 9 Nil

Sources: Clean Energy Regulator's 2020-21 emissions data | Open Politics interests database | AEC donations register

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