A teal independent running for the state seat of Fremantle has taken a potshot at Seven West Media’s shareholder links to the gas industry on the second page of the business’ own daily newspaper, The West Australian.
In an advert, Kate Hulett announced a plan to introduce legislation to prevent the gas industry from owning and controlling media outlets in Western Australia.
Teal independent candidate for the WA seat of Fremantle, Kate Hulett.
“We need to restore integrity and transparency to government dealings with the gas industry. Big gas companies owning media outlets – and vice versa – is bad for our state,” the ad read.
Seven Group Holdings is the major shareholder of the Kerry Stokes-chaired Seven West Media, as well as SGH Energy, which has interests in the Crux gas field in the Browse Basin and a 100 per cent interest in the Longtom gas field off the coast of Victoria.
SGH is also the major shareholder of Beach Energy, which has interests across Australia including onshore gas fields in WA.
Hulett said Seven West Media’s gas links incentivised it to promote and protect the industry, which it benefited from financially.
“This surely doesn’t pass the pub test,” she said in a statement.
“The influence of big gas companies, and the media outlets they own, is blatantly bad for our state.
“Time and time again, we’re seeing government decisions that put gas industry profits above the interests of everyday West Australians. This repeated lack of integrity in government dealings is jeopardising our future.”
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