Federal government paying millions in consulting fees for advice on subsidising gas industry, documents show

The federal government is spending millions of dollars on consultants to advise on how to subsidise the multi-billion-dollar gas industry, despite it employing just 0.2 per cent of the Australian workforce, according to tender documents and ABC sources. Key points: Tender documents show the federal government allocated more than $9 million to pay for private consultants A request to see the specific terms of the contracts with BCG was denied, despite the AusTender website listing them as "not confidential" Subsidies for gas exporters will not see Australian consumers paying less for power The move has been criticised by the Australia Institute, which said the gas industry was "a tiny employer". 'Gas industry is a tiny employer' Australia Institute spokesman Mark Ogge said the government should not be spending taxpayer money on private consultants to design subsidies for multinational gas companies. "The tender documents show that the government is spending millions of dollars of taxpayers' money trying to figure out how to subsidise multi-billion-dollar gas companies," Mr Ogge said. "For every million dollars of output, the gas industry employs about 0.2 people, whereas for every million dollars of output in education or health, you employ upwards of 10 people," Mr Ogge said.