Questacon Drops Fossil Fuel Science Sponsors

The relationship that branded and provided science activities for kids for almost 40 years, between Shell and Australia’s national science and technology centre Questacon, is coming to a close.

Additionally, the $1 million sponsorship agreement with the Japanese oil and gas corporation Inpex and Questacon will not be extended beyond the current four-year contract.

The elimination of Questacon’s two primary fossil fuel investors was “extremely welcome,” according to climate activists.

The “world’s longest-running science outreach programme,” the Shell Questacon Science Circus, had Shell as a major supporter for 45 years until 2020.
According to Questacon, its agreement with Shell was “refocused and realigned” for the years 2021 and 2022. In 2021, it will effectively be demoted to a “supporting partner,” contributing $500,000 that year and dropping to just half of that this year.

Shell’s financing had allowed Questacon to “to reach more than 2.5 million Australians in more than 600 towns and 100 remote Indigenous communities over this time period”.

Both partnership terminations were described as coming to a “natural conclusion.”

One of Shell’s reps said they had looked over their “social investment strategy” to focus on “more activities with direct benefits in communities where we operate”.

Lee Constable, who used to be a presenter for the Shell Questacon Science Circus, expressed that he believes “[being free of fossil fuel sponsorship] improves the credibility of our national science centre and I would encourage others to consider their fossil fuel sponsorships.”

Fossil fuel sponsorships and advertising are coming under increasing public scrutiny. Some compare it to tobacco advertising on sports games in an attempt to boost its public perception, but many such commercials have been banned in some nations.

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