A handful of predominantly foreign owned gas corporations export 90% of WA’s gas. They receive most of the gas royalty free, contribute less than 2% to WA’s budget, often pay little if any tax and receive enormous taxpayer subsidies. 

Join us to discuss the real economic, climate and cultural impacts of WA’s gas expansion, how the gas industry has captured our governments and what we can do about it. There will also be a special performance by award-winning performing artist, Lucy Peach on the evening.

New gas mega-projects under development in WA like Woodside’s Burrup Hub expansion are some of the largest new fossil fuel projects in the world and which will hasten the drying out of south-west WA and make fires, floods and heatwaves more frequent and extreme.

Woodsides’ Burrup Hub expansion also threatens the spectacular Murujuga rock art, one of the world’s most important heritage sites which are almost twice as ancient as Lascaux cave painting.

Speakers

• Dr Richard Denniss, Executive Director of the Australia Institute
  Richard is a prominent economist, author and public policy commentator, and a former Assoc Professor in the Crawford School of Public Policy at ANU. He is the author of several books including: Econobabble, Curing Affluenza, Dead Right: How Neoliberalism Ate Itself and What Comes Next? and Big: The Role of the State in the Modern Economy
• Professor Fiona Stanley, AC FAA FASSA FAHMS
  Founding Director & Patron, Telethon Kids Institute, a unique multidisciplinary independent research institute focusing on the causes and prevention of major problems affecting children and youth; Distinguished Research Professor, UWA; Hon Professorial Fellow, Uni Melb; UNICEF Ambassador for early childhood; Scientific Advisor Doctors for the Environment. Fiona trained overseas in Epidemiology and Maternal & Child Health, established population data sets in WA including registers of major childhood problems, championed record linkage, and pioneered First Nations leadership in research. For her research on behalf of Australia's children and Aboriginal social justice, she was named Australian of the Year in 2003.
• Josie Alec, Traditional owner from Murujuga
  Kuruma Marthedunera woman Josie Alec is the First Nations Lead for Australian Conservation Foundation, the co-founder of Save our Songlines. Josie's Mum was a traditional healer and held many sacred gifts and knowledge about our country. Through that knowledge she was taught about our native ecology and the traditional use of native plants, their purpose and the connection everything around them.
  “I have been blessed with an extraordinary life journey. From stolen generation, to growing up with a wonderful foster family, to making my way back home to my amazing family and culture. I am pleased to share my journey about learning how important our connection with country is and the care for country practices, as first nations people we share".
• Alex Hillman, Lead Analyst at the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility
  Alex has degrees in Chemical Engineering and Finance. He has spent over a decade working in oil and gas, including five years as Woodside's climate change advisor. Alex has skills in the energy transition, LNG business models, emissions forecasting, climate policy, and climate reporting.
• Performance by Lucy Peach
  Lucy Peach is a feminist songwriter, award-winning performing artist, bestselling author of 'Period Queen,' and creator of 'My Greatest Period Ever.' A longstanding advocate for self-love and positive body literacy, Lucy is passionate about shifting the cultural narrative around being cyclical from one of shame to one of pride for a more equitable world.