The Greens and Senator David Pocock have backed calls for a parliamentary inquiry into the alleged 'petro-grooming' of children, following an investigation that exposed the extent of the fossil fuel sector's presence in schools, sports clubs and other educational institutions.
Report reveals 260 industry-backed programs
A new report from climate advocacy group Comms Declare identified at least 260 industry-backed programs or sponsorships reaching children and teenagers, from early childhood centres and schools to sporting clubs, museums and career pathway programs. Examples included an education program at the Queensland Museum, sponsored by Shell and its subsidiary Queensland Gas Company, that produced learning materials for young students and free professional development courses for teachers.
Another example was a school's STEM program sponsored by a major fossil fuel company, which encouraged pupils aged eight and nine to build models of offshore drilling activities using bread, Vegemite and sprinkles. The report said educational materials backed by fossil fuel sponsorship often accentuated personal steps to reduce emissions while underplaying the role of major corporations in producing and selling fossil fuels.
Comms Declare pushes for Senate inquiry
Comms Declare is using the findings to push for a Senate inquiry to examine the 'scale, nature and impact of fossil fuel engagement' with children and to renew calls for a national ban on advertising and sponsorships from coal, oil and gas companies. The organisation's founder, Belinda Noble, told a press conference at Parliament House on Monday: 'The coal oil and gas companies are profiteering [and] polluting, while simultaneously petro-grooming our kids. We believe our children deserve to play and learn in environments that are free from conflicted commercial influence.'
Noble said children should be taught about energy mix, which includes gas, but the material should not be linked to companies with 'an obvious bias'.
Greens accuse industry of building social licence
The Greens will this week push to establish Comms Declare's proposed Senate inquiry before the federal parliament rises for a five-week winter break. The party's resources spokesperson, Steph Hodgins-May, accused fossil fuel companies of using the programs and sponsorships to 'build social licence' – a sentiment shared by Pocock. 'Get your dirty hands off our kids, that is our message to the fossil fuel industry, who have no place in early-learning centres, in schools, or in our cultural institutions in this country,' Hodgins-May said. 'Children should go to school to get evidence-based education, not to be brainwashed by fossil fuel corporations seeking to build social licence.'
Resources minister defends sports sponsorships
In a statement responding to the Comms Declare report, Resources Minister Madeleine King strongly endorsed industry sponsorships of sporting clubs without commenting on support for other programs. 'Resources companies have long supported Australian sport. From grassroots netball, hockey and soccer to the AFL and Olympic swimming and rowing,' she said. 'Sponsorship by resources companies can in some places literally make the difference on some clubs staying afloat and whether local kids get a game on the weekend. Particularly in country areas. Most Australians understand this. Certainly the majority of parents attending kids' sport on the weekend understand this. We are very fortunate to have so many resource companies in a position to sponsor Australian sport and under this government we want that to remain the case.'
Minerals Council defends industry role
The Minerals Council of Australia chief executive, Tania Constable, said the sector was proud to support programs that build awareness about energy's role in the modern world and job opportunities in mining. 'Teaching more students about earth sciences and encouraging open and inquiring minds is essential to Australia's future, our national resilience and our ability to meet growing demand for our minerals through responsible exploration and mining,' she said.
