Senate committee wants Beetaloo gas grants investigated as Labor refers matter to auditor general
by Christopher Knaus and Paul Karp from Environment | The Guardian on (#5NQGX)
Almost half the funding from the fracking program awarded to Empire Energy, which shares connections with the Liberal party, inquiry finds
Empire Energy's close financial and personal relationships" with the Liberal party warrant an investigation into the government's decision to award it $21m in federal gas exploration grants, a Senate inquiry has found.
The finding on Tuesday came as Labor referred the grants to the auditor general, citing the same potential conflicts, but declined to support a move to block money from the $50m Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling grant program going to gas companies for exploratory drilling in the Northern Territory's Beetaloo Basin.
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