Greens to call News Corp execs to greenwashing inquiry over gas ads
By Calum Jaspan
The Greens will call News Corp Australia executives to appear before a Senate inquiry into greenwashing over a series of front pages promoting gas without clearly disclosing a commercial relationship with gas companies.
The “special reports” ran across News Corp’s metro tabloids the Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Advertiser and The Courier Mail on Monday morning, encouraging Australia to “step on the gas”, despite the series being sponsored by a group of gas companies.
The Herald Sun’s front page on Monday, labelling the sponsored report as “exclusive”.Credit: Herald Sun/News Corp
The reports were presented as news stories on the front page. The link to gas companies was only flagged on pages six and seven, where two full stories ran.
The stories, labelled “exclusive”, disclosed a “proudly sponsored by” tag at the top of the page, featuring APA Group, a gas infrastructure company, while major gas production companies Santos, Tamboran and Jemena also sponsored the series.
The story by News Corp journalist John Rolfe warned of soaring energy prices impacting Australians, leading to higher bills, and that “only gas can save us”. The Daily Telegraph ran a story under the headline “DARK AGES”, stating households would be plunged into darkness but for action on Australia’s gas shortage.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who is chairing the inquiry, told this masthead News Corp’s attempt to disguise paid “propaganda” as actual news risked bringing the profession of journalism into disrepute.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said News Corp executives will be asked to appear in front of the greenwashing inquiry. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
She said company executives would be called to appear at a public hearing in the new year.
“This isn’t journalism – it’s fossil fuel propaganda. It’s as dodgy as it gets,” Hanson-Young said.
“We know that the social licence for coal and gas is rapidly melting as climate change gets worse and the public learn more about who is responsible.”
While News Corp can reject the demand, Senate committees reserve the power to compel parties to appear.
Hanson-Young said: “We will look to call Murdoch media executives before our greenwashing inquiry in the new year to explain their disregard for basic journalistic ethics and their longstanding campaign against climate science.”
The reports are part of a week-long editorial series investigating the importance of gas supply in Australia. News Corp was approached for comment.
Earlier this year, executives from Network 10 owner Paramount appeared at the inquiry after its flagship cooking program, MasterChef, ran content promoting renewable gas stove tops and cooking when the Australian Gas Network was a major sponsor.
MasterChef promoted biomethane and hydrogen gas, which are not widely available to Australian households. Gas advertisements were also run during 10 News First. Hanson-Young asked executives during the hearing why the ads had been projected onto the network’s news set.
The inquiry began in March last year.
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