Last week saw big news on fossil fuel subsidies, with Fortescue Metals and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) calling for reform to the Fuel Tax Credit Scheme (FTCS) and co-publishing a report.

The FTCS is Australia’s biggest fossil fuel subsidy, costing the public $11 billion per year. It is a refund of fuel tax paid on diesel in certain industries, particularly mining.

Wait!? A mining company complaining about subsidies to mining? Well yes, because Fortescue sees Australia as having an advantage in switching the mining industry to electrified, renewable energy-based equipment, and subsidised diesel makes this harder.

We highlighted last week that lots of names associated with the report and the ATSE are Very Important People, and also not the kind of people who would usually campaign against diesel subsidies. Fellows of the ATSE that caught our eye glancing at their website last week include Labor and Coalition politicians, corporate executives and industry lobbyists.

Some more ATSE Fellows that caught our eye since last week:

• Sam Walsh, former Rio Tinto CEO.
• Marius Kloppers, former BHP CEO.
• Vanessa Guthrie, former Chair of Minerals Council of Australia
• David Knox, former Santos CEO.
• Vanessa Torres, Chief Operating Officer at South32, formerly at BHP and Minerals Council.
• Andrew Liveris, chemicals and fossil fuel executive, advisor to Morrison Government’s ‘gas-led recovery’.
• Ian Plimer, climate-sceptic geologist, executive of oil and gas company Senex.
• Hugh Morgan, mining executive and Howard-era Auspol villain.

It’s important to note that these Fellows did not contribute to the ATSE report, probably haven’t read it and may not agree with it.

What is significant is that an academy that counts senior mining industry figures among its fellows has taken a strong position on reforming fuel tax credits. Such an organisation cannot easily be dismissed.