The recent Federal election results suggest that energy policy remains a deeply misunderstood issue.
While climate concerns are valid and urgent, the conversation has become dominated by oversimplified narratives that overlook the complexity of our energy system and the trade-offs involved in transitioning it.

At the heart of this challenge is the Beetaloo basin. This vast resource in the Northern Territory is advancing steadily, with Empire Energy and Tamboran Resources leading the way. Empire has raised $28 million to drill and test its first pilot well, with first gas sales expected in 2025. Tamboran has secured $US70 million for its Shenandoah South pilot project, with gas to be sold into the NT market. These are not speculative ventures – they are real, tangible steps toward domestic energy security.

But without enabling infrastructure, specifically pipelines to connect the NT to the east coast, this progress risks being contained rather than shared. The gas is there. The companies are investing. What’s missing is
the national commitment to build the infrastructure that unlocks this potential for all Australians.

Encouragingly, the NT Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the Territory Energy Link, a proposed multi-user, multi-asset infrastructure corridor stretching from Elliott to Darwin. This project is more than just pipes in the ground. It’s a strategic investment in energy, water, fibre and hydrogen infrastructure that will connect the Beetaloo to Darwin and to the world. With technical planning now underway and development readiness targeted by 2028, this initiative lays the groundwork for billions in investment and thousands of local jobs. It’s the kind of enabling infrastructure that turns potential into prosperity.

One of our clients, Liberty Energy, articulates this challenge with clarity and conviction. Their mission is simple but profound: to better human lives. As they rightly point out, energy is the foundation of everything – food, shelter, health, education and opportunity. Without access to affordable, reliable energy, none of these are possible.

Liberty’s research reminds us that while climate change is a real and pressing issue, it must be weighed against the human cost of energy poverty. More than two billion people still lack access to clean cooking fuels and reliable electricity. Even in Australia, rising prices and supply constraints threaten industry, jobs and household budgets.

We need a more informed national dialogue, one that recognises the role of hydrocarbons in supporting modern life, even as we invest in renewables and emerging technologies. We need to understand that pipelines are not just infrastructure – they are enablers of resilience, sovereignty and shared prosperity.

The Beetaloo is not just a Territory story. It’s a national opportunity. But to realise it, we must move beyond slogans and start building understanding, because energy security starts with education.

WILLIAM GEDDES – ACTING CEO ENERGY CLUB NT