Australia: Oil, Gas & Electricity

Our monthly ESG bulletin provides a targeted snapshot of key developments we see as reflecting the “must know” trends in the Australian market and, where relevant, the international market.

Asia-Pacific data centre expansion is creating unprecedented insurance challenges as rapid infrastructure growth strains regional water and power resources. Could intensive resource consumption by data centres generate environmental liability claims from affected communities and regulators? And are traditional property insurance models adequately capturing the contingent business interruption risks created by concentrated digital infrastructure dependencies?

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment has made history by intervening in Australian Federal Court proceedings challenging the extension of Woodside's North West Shelf gas project until 2070. The intervention raises critical questions about how international environmental law obligations should inform the interpretation of Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, particularly regarding climate change impacts and heritage

On 7 May 2026, the Federal Government announced a mandatory domestic gas reservation scheme, to be legislated through Parliament.

Australia's renewable energy transition is creating unprecedented tensions as large-scale wind, solar and storage projects increasingly overlap with mining and petroleum tenements...

A recent judgment against the CEO of oil and gas supplier Qteq for cartel conduct becomes the latest example of regulators seeking to prevent directors and officers from turning to their insurance to pay their civil penalty, and the Federal Court’s willingness to do so.

On February 17, 2026, the Federal Court of Australia dismissed a landmark "greenwashing" case against Australian oil and gas producer Santos Limited (Santos).

If Australia fails to resolve the power equation, we risk slowing AI adoption, delaying cloud migration and pushing investment offshore.

Australia's autonomous sanctions regime has continued to evolve over the past 12 months. Driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions, increased global coordination and a commitment...