AUSA Board endorses ‘Dump Santos’ campaign call to remove Santos signage from campus.
AUSA Board endorses ‘Dump Santos’ campaign call to remove Santos signage from campus.
_
On 24 June 2026, the AUSA Board voted in favour of endorsing the ‘Dump Santos’ campaign’s call to remove the name of the ‘Santos Petroleum Engineering’ building at the Adelaide University City West campus. The University has made clear public commitments and statements in regard to climate change, particularly through their sustainability policy. Continuing to display prominent branding for a major fossil fuel company sits in direct contradiction to these commitments.
There is also growing student opposition to Santos’ presence on campus. A petition launched just over a month ago has already attracting over 500 signatures. The International Energy Agency has made clear that achieving global net zero targets requires no new coal or gas developments (IEA, 2021). Despite this, Santos, Australia’s second largest gas company, continues to push ahead with new polluting gas expansion projects, including in the Beetaloo Basin, Narrabri and Barossa. Santos paid zero corporate or income tax for 10 consecutive years (Australia Institute, 2025), and their CCS plans:
“In a full year, Santos will, at most, capture about 4.3% of their total emissions, yet it was paid $15 million from the Morrison government to fund this carbon capture and storage facility,” said Ketan Joshi, Senior Research Fellow at The Australia Institute (The Australia Institute, 2025) If Adelaide University is serious about its commitment to sustainability and climate leadership, it must ensure that its campus, partnerships, and public-facing identity reflect those values.
We endorse the call for the name of the ‘Santos Petroleum Engineering’ building to change.