Shell Australia says campaign needed to ‘counterbalance’ claims by levy advocates – but Ed Husic urges industry ‘do not spend millions defending the indefensible’

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Gas companies are mounting a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign to fight against a new export tax, prompting the Labor MP Ed Husic to accuse the industry of “defending the indefensible”.

Shell Australia is among half a dozen oil and gas companies contributing around $1m to an Australian Energy Producers (AEP) campaign that attempts to justify the amount of tax the industry pays, a parliamentary inquiry heard on Wednesday.

Independent candidate and One Nation’s David Farley are viewed as the frontrunners in the four cornered-contest for the 9 May poll

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The Liberals and Nationals will preference One Nation ahead of Michelle Milthorpe in the Farrer byelection in a potential blow to the independent’s hopes of winning the 9 May race.

Milthorpe and One Nation’s David Farley are viewed as the frontrunners in the four cornered-contest, meaning the flow of preferences from the Liberals and Nationals could be crucial in deciding the final outcome in the southern New South Wales seat.