The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate if six of the country’s largest companies have made misleading statements regarding the impact of climate policies so they could gain more government compensation. 

The ACF estimates that Australia’s six heaviest polluting industries will gain at least $1.1 billion in government compensation under recently proposed changes to the planned emissions trading scheme.

”Some of Australia’s biggest corporate polluters appear to be presenting the worst case to government and the public in an effort to gain excessive free permits, while presenting the best case to investors, in order to keep their share prices up,” ACF Executive Director Don Henry said on Monday in a statement.

Among the companies accused of misleading statements are Rio Tinto, oil refiner Caltex Australia and the nation’s top building products maker Boral.