Santos shareholders secure major government subsidy. South Australia's Premier Peter Malinauskas is removing financial risk from a $500 million pipeline upgrade by prepaying for gas over a decade. The arrangement guarantees Santos shareholders risk-free returns up to 25 percent according to the company's own assessment. While Santos claims the Moomba Central Optimisation project reduces emissions by over 40,000 tonnes of CO2 annually, critics note this represents just 1.04 percent of the company's total 2025 emissions. The deal locks in government gas purchases while allowing Santos to invest with minimal downside exposure, raising questions about the true cost to taxpayers and the environmental impact of continued fossil fuel infrastructure investment.
