Not one CEO from Australia's leading gas companies has opted to appear before a senate select committee inquiry into gas tax arrangements which starts tomorrow.

As reported, the chair of a senate inquiry last week threw down the gauntlet to the bosses of the likes of Woodside, Santos and Chevron, challenging them to appear before one of this week's three public hearings.

Not one of them has picked it up, preferring to send a variety of underlings in their stead.

The chair of the committee, Greens Senator Steph Hodgins-May, is unsurprised.

"It tells you everything that not a single CEO can be bothered to show up and explain why their companies are raking in billions from Australian gas while paying next to nothing back.

"I've said from the outset that the CEOs have questions to answer and should be part of this inquiry.

"Committees have the power to compel people to front up. Those powers exist for moments like this, when the public is demanding answers from those at the very top.

"These CEOs are hiding because they know they can't defend the indefensible. They've got plenty of help to stay out of the spotlight," she said.

According to the program for the hearings which have now been released on Tuesday in Canberra, the committee will hear predominantly from those in favour the industry being more heavily taxed as representatives from the Australia Institute, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), The Superpower Institute, Climate Council of Australia, Australian Conservation Foundation and Greenpeace present their opinions.

At the second Canberra hearing on Wednesday the Queensland Resources Council, Shell, the Business Council of Australia, ConocoPhillips, Origin Energy, the ATO and Department of Industry, Science and Resources will appear.

And on Friday in Perth, the likes of Woodside, Chevron Australia, peak body group Australian Energy Producers, INPEX Australia, Santos and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy Western Australia and Asia Natural Gas and Energy Australia (ANGEA) will take the stand.

"I'll be putting every representative who does appear under the spotlight. But the people who should be answering are the CEOs, said Hodgins-May. "It's not too late for these CEOs to change their mind and show up."

While the CEOs of these industry giants were invited Woodside's Liz Westcott has deferred to executive vice president (EVP) and CFO Graham Tiver and Tony Cudmore, EVP, sustainability, policy and external affairs, Chevron Australia's president Balaji Krishnamurthy, has deferred to finance GM Maggie McCourt and asset development GM Kynan Scarr and Santos' Kevin Gallagher has deferred to his chief strategy officer. Jan-Arne Johansen, ConocoPhillips' Australia president, is sending his tax manager Natalie Wallach and his governmental affairs GM James Matthews Origin's Frank Calabria is doing likewise sending his GM government engagement Tim O'Grady and head of tax Catherine Feng. INPEX is – as usual – rolling out their Bill Townsend, their senior vice president corporate.

Only Shell is sending their most elevated Australian representative, Cecile Wake, the company's country chair and EVP integrated gas Australia.

The committee

On 30 March the Senate commissioned a select committee on the taxation of gas resources to examine the tax treatment of Australian oil and gas resources, proposals for any changes to the tax treatment of gas production and export and also compare alternative tax arrangements that other countries have put in place.

The committee will also look at how any additional revenue generated could be used to provide cost of living relief for households and businesses and reduce our dependence on imported fuel. 

Since the inquiry was launched at the end of last month 76 individuals and companies have so far made public submissions.

In recent weeks, when pressed about the idea of imposing a 25% windfall tax on gas profits or reforming the PRRT, cabinet members have deferred to Jim Chalmers' speech he'll deliver on 12 May. 

However, according to The Australian Financial Review newspaper "multiple" Labor MPs support levying higher taxes on gas exporters and were regularly asked by party members and constituents why the government had not acted sooner.  Likewise, a slew of other independent MPs, trade unionists and think tanks have come out in favour a 25% gas levy. 

PRRT 

Much of the discontent around the current taxation landscape is based on the poor returns the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax has delivered to government. Even the CEO of the Commonwealth Bank Matt Comyn waded into the discussion this month suggesting a renovated PRRT might be the answer, although a senior leader at Westpac countered his opinion.  

When it was launched in 2021, the PRRT -which covers offshore oil and gas production - was forecast to generate just $6.8bn. Pocock was one of the first to highlight that even with the recent surge in oil prices, it is still expected to be well short of the nearly $12bn the government is likely to collect from beer sales over the next few years.