Andrew Liveris admits ‘incorrect’ jobs claim from natural gas on ABC’s ‘Q&A’

·

The Morrison Government’s gas-fired recovery plan was the cause of debate between Andrew Liveris and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young on the ABC panel show ‘Q&A’ a couple of weeks ago.

Recently, Liveris admitted his claim that 850,000 Australians work in industries using natural gas as feedstock was “incorrect”.

Andrew Liveris told RMIT ABC Fact Check that the 850,000 figure was the Australian Bureau of Statistics employment number for all sectors of manufacturing and not all those sectors used gas as a feedstock.

However, he said all manufacturing jobs were “dependent on the aggregation of supply chains and associated manufacturing ventures that draw on gas directly”. 

Photo: Screenshots taken from ABC’s ‘Q&A’

Mr Liveris made his claim when Q+A host Hamish Macdonald asked him to justify the need for new, publicly funded gas infrastructure. 

“There’s 850,000 Australians employed by industries that use gas as a feedstock,” he replied.

When contacted by Fact Check, Mr Liveris said in an email that he had not had the opportunity to properly explain himself “due to the style of the program”. 

“Gas as a key input and enabler, including as a feedstock and source of direct energy, in energy intensive sectors like steel, aluminium, bricks, paper, food production and packaging, cement, petrochemicals, fertilizers, explosives and other sectors impacts 850,000 manufacturing jobs in Australia,” he wrote.

“The literal expression of this on the Q+A program was that its use as a feedstock for all these sectors is incorrect.

“The correct assertion is that 850,000 (the ABS number for workers in manufacturing) jobs are dependent on the aggregation of supply chains and associated manufacturing ventures that draw on gas directly, and not as electricity,” he wrote. 

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

From crisis to compassion: Timos Roussos and his family’s mercy mission in war-torn Cyprus

When Turkish troops landed on Cyprus on 20 July 1974, six-year-old Timos Roussos was sitting on the floor of his family’s home in Lemesos.

A granddaughter returns: Georgia Georgiou retraces her yiayia’s occupied village in Cyprus

When Georgia Georgiou handed over her Cypriot ID at the border checkpoint to cross into occupied northern Cyprus, she felt an ache.

‘You never get over it’: A childhood shattered by the Turkish invasion of Cyprus

On a warm July morning in 1974, 10-year-old Anastasia Di Loreto (née Karatzia) was jolted awake by the sound of bombs falling on Kyrenia.

Cyprus: The paradox of tolerance and impunity for Turkey

The lack of a unified, systematic and practical strategy on the part of Greece has led the Cyprus crisis into national disarray.

Lost homes and lingering hope: Greek-Cypriots reflect on Turkish invasion and its aftermath

From hidden stories to haunting memories, two Greek-Cypriot men share what it means to carry the burden of Cyprus’ past.

You May Also Like

Nick Kyrgios suffers heartbreaking defeat against World No. 1 Rafael Nadal in Australian Open fourth round

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has been knocked out of the Australian open after losing to World No.1 Rafael Nadal in a four set battle.

Greek WWII veteran gifts €23 million to Hellenic Armed Forces

97-year-old Iakovos Tsounis donated €23 million and 60 landing craft, declaring that he wanted to leave life as he began it — barefoot.

Eurovision 2023: Who is representing Greece, Cyprus and Australia?

As Eurovision fans are counting backwards, The Greek Herald is talking a look at this year’s participations of Greece, Cyprus and Australia.