Australia is a big exporter of natural gas. Around 80% of gas extracted is exported as liquefied natural gas (LNG), the gas industry pays ZERO royalties on more than half (56%) of what is exported. Western Australia exports 90% of the gas extracted, whilst the very profitable multinationals within the industry, Chevron, Exxon, Santos, Woodside and Shell pay little in the way of royalties and taxes to both state and federal governments. When compared to what other large gas exporting countries receive, for example Qatar, Australians are paid a pittance with this huge rip off!

As the war in the Middle East drags on, the multinational gas giants are reaping mega profits, while ordinary Australians are paying through the neck! Its time theses corporations paid their fair share through a 25% export tax. Such a tax would generate $17 billion a year, money which could be directed towards relief for Australians with their cost of living. It would prioritise domestic gas supply during the renewable energy transition and ensure energy sovereignty for Australia into the future.

Hi Paul,
I saw something about this the other day but haven't dug into it.

The Gas Cartel is Panicking | The West Report
http://youtu.be/YxxuWVYrUog

Hi AC

This is interesting, the Little Johnny Howard long term gas deal with Japan.

"Japan has become a major reseller of Australian Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), with companies re-exporting substantial volumes—estimated at 627–812 petajoules in 2024—to third-party countries. Often, this involves reselling contracted, relatively cheap Australian gas to high-value markets like Taiwan and South Korea, generating over AUD$1 billion in annual profits for Japanese companies"

Apparently it's been that way for years, Australian consumers pay more than the Japanese do for our own Aussie gas, or so I was told, years ago.

Hi AC,

Its an established fact that Little Johnny Howard was one of the biggest dills ever to be given the keys to The Lodge. His Japanese Gas Deal, was the most ridiculous trade deal imaginable, only outdone by Menzies selling pig iron to Japan in the 1930's. The Liberals must have something going with the Japanese! Me thinks the Japanese get them pissed on Sake by the Geisha Girls, and then have them put their "X" on the dotted line, I can't think of any other explanation for their stupidity.

Howard signed up Japan to take the gas for 5 cents / lt. He sold his backside to foreigners without any thought for AU.

Hi Paul,

Why mention past bad gas deals when they have nothing to do with the current supply crisis? Also, note that fossil fuels provided Australia with $74 billion in revenue last year. How much revenue came from the koala clubbing, environment and economy destroying wind and solar grifters? That's right, zero. In fact, those con artists who are supposedly supplying us with all that incredibly cheap power are taking about $20 billion a year from taxpayers.

The reason we have a fuel crisis is because of all the "Just stop oil" lunatics preventing exploration and regulating industry using fossil fuels out of existence whilst wasting countless billions on the "transition".

Magoo is going on his begging bowl tours for things Australia could be supplying in abundance with appropriate planning and regulation. I suspect that Magoo and co might have super associations with grifters inc.

Hi Fester,

"Why mention past bad gas deals when they have nothing to do with the current supply crisis?"

Well, those past bad gas deals are still relevant today. Japan buys a huge amount of Australian LNG at a 'locked in' very favourable price. In 2024/25 Japan pocketed over $1 billion by reselling Australian LNG, all the while Australian consumers are paying through the neck for Australian gas.

Just as Australian are paying over $3 litre for diesel to get to work, the mining industry, people like Gina Rinehart the richest person in Australia, pocketed $4.8 billion in 2024/25 through diesel fuel subsidies from the government.

You have a very slanted view of renewable energy, claiming its all a con, that's your opinion, I don't agree, but that's okay with me.

Hi Paul,

Governments have been warned about impending fuel shortages for years. What has made TSHTF is the "Just stop oil" activist bureaucracy and pollies banning and regulating anything to do with fossil fuels out of existence. Blaming a dumb deal cut decades earlier is no excuse for current inaction. The truth is that the halfwits totally swallowed the lies that the koala clubbing grifter con artists were feeding them.

"You have a very slanted view of renewable energy"

If wind and solar were delivering anything like was promised I'd be a big supporter I assure you. The reality is koala clubbing, environment and farmland destruction, skyrocketing power prices and economic collapse, plus $20 billion a year in handouts to the grifters and countless billions more on infrastructure to support the grifter's wind and solar wastelands. Hey, but if you're a big fan of it all them keep banging your drum all you like. Australia has been pursuing the wind and solar bs for decades and might achieve the "transition" in sixty years. The French built 150% of their electricity supply with nuclear in fifteen years starting half a century ago. Doing something with a precedent for being done six times faster two generations ago sounds much smarter.

Nuke talk is not popular, look what happened at the last election. Wind and solar are by far the cheapest power by miles, the fuel is free and little maintenance involved. This is being done for the long term.
House hold solar is nearing 5 million with a large take up of batteries.
Solar is being produced in minus figures. We can not get that until coal is dead and buried. simples..

doog

"Wind and solar are by far the cheapest power by miles, the fuel is free and little maintenance involved. This is being done for the long term."

Did that garbage come from Magoo and Blackout's propaganda advisors? Last less than twenty years and thereafter a toxic waste problem that the grifters won't touch because they will have p'd off to the next con long before. The wind turbines are far from maintenance free and can start fires, often in inaccessible areas.

"Wind industry shills still make ludicrous claims about turbines running on the smell of an oily rag and lasting for 25 years or more, needing little more than a hug from time to time. They never talk about the operations and maintenance costs which – as reported by one Australian outfit Infigen – runs at around AUD$25 per MWh (which undermines the myth about wind power being generated with zero marginal cost)."

https://stopthesethings.com/2023/04/23/costly-pathetic-performance-thousands-of-wind-turbines-being-replaced-after-12-years/

Here's a bit of info from parts of the world you have likely never heard of.

"German “Green Energy Transition” summarized:

1. Energy prices four times higher than in France, it will give the final blow to German industry.

2. CO2 emissions per kWh produced 12 times higher in Germany than in France.

3. Price tag so far €500B.

Congratulations, well done"

https://x.com/MichaelAArouet/status/2039253871302684777

The Germans are fools for allowing the U.S. to blow up Nordstream and Olaf Shultz standing there straight-faced.
Now the U.S. has blown up the Persian Gulf and Albo's running to Trump for help.
Trump blackmailing the world to help him attack a country of 90 million people for Israel.
Trump wants other navies as cannon fodder to pull others into a war.
The petro dollar might have come to an end.

I heard (in the last linked video) that the last deliveries from the Persian gulf before Feb 28 have now been delivered, we're currently relying on strategic reserves, and the Russian and Iranian oil that had been stored in tankers prior to the attack on Iran by U.S. and Israel.

Soon these will also be depleted.
Things haven't gotten too bad yet, brace yourselves the coming months will see things get a lot worse.
The follow on effects are only just beginning.

Four charts that paint a worrying picture for global fertiliser prices
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-24/charts-paint-worrying-picture-global-fertiliser-prices/106590152

Long-held bitumen standards waived after supply caught in Strait of Hormuz
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-26/australia-bitumen-supply-crisis-strait-of-hormuz-disruptions/106566896

Fuel crisis leaves councils facing cost blowouts, rate hikes and spending cuts
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-14/fuel-crisis-leaves-sa-councils-facing-cost-blowouts/106552638

Trump Will Be Driven Out of Office Because of Iran War
http://youtu.be/Wu0-8aU17no

Hi AC,

Germany's biggest blunder was to exchange the energy security of nuclear for imported gas. That might be why it's electricity costs four times French electricity and emits twelve times more carbon dioxide.

It seems that Snowy 2.0 has blow out to $42billion 20 times original cost.
I think that does not include the transmission lines to NSW, Vic & SA.
Some consultants say scrub it now and save the further cost.
The effect on electricity costs may have to be born by taxpayers.
All in all it will need a Royal Commission to sort it out.