We have huge quantities of coal,natural gas and resources which we sell to countries like China for a song,yet charge high prices for it domestically.Govts could also reduce their corporate tax take since 50% gets lost in the bureaucracy.

With Aust being a small market why not simply pass a law that our natural resources are sold domestically are far cheaper rates to Aust industry and consumers.BHP Biliton after all only have the leases and do not technically own the resources.Selling cheaper to such a small market as ours,ill hardly affect their bottom line.

Our state Govts talk about making energy far more expensive,but that will not help our exports or current account deficit.

China has far cheaper labour that will continue for decades to come,so why not even up the score?This will give our manufacturing/farming industries an advantage so they can compete internationally.It will also help stop the brain drain as we develop our own industries.

Also domestically,our living standards will rise and we can strive to become more independant of the multi-nationals.Ordinary people will actually be able to save and be able to buy shares instead of being slaves to Govt and big business.

Now do your best to pick holes in my argument.

Ordinary people will NEVER actually be able to save and be able to buy shares as they are heading to a level of wages equal to the Chinese working class.
I do believe that some who thought they were purchasing and trading shares have now discovered that the Banks owned them and has claimed them back and sold them regardless of whether you thought you purchase the shares off your Broker.
The pretend Federal Court of Australia has just setteled that areguement. We can thank the legal profession again for this scamm that has cost many people millions.

Young Dan never say NEVER.Things can be changed if enough people clarify our problems and have the will to effect change.Aussies are just too apathetic.

Petrol in China is currently 70c a litre.We are paying more than double this amount.Just a couple of years ago natural gas was 30c a litre now it is 70c/L.We own the gas yet pay world prices.It does not make sense.The world is not a level playing field and are mad not to use our natural advantages.

People will argue that cheaper fuel will not bring about smaller more fuel efficient vehicles.Simple solution;private vehicles with large engines get taxed to the hilt.Large commercial vehicles don't and thus products can be delivered more cheaply.

Well Arjay, there is much debate going on, about using LNG to power
vehicles, which seems to not be a problem. LNG is already piped
to many homes, so you could avoid the service station and fill up
the gas tank from home. The oil companies would not be pleased :(

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s2230825.htm

That might create a few hiccups when it comes to taxes etc, but
it sure would be cheaper then freezing the stuff to incredible
depths and exporting it, which in itself is hugely expensive.

Coal seam gas seems to be a huge new resource available even in
the East, so I'd say it needs a few brave souls to perhaps import
some LNG suitable vehicles and test the system!

Dear Arjay... welcome to the world of "Machievelli"

"Why not pass a law which"....ahAH!... "who" makes the laws?

Is it not the 'high flying elite/rich/powerful' who seek to persuade we masses about "national interest" when in reality they mean 'THEIR' corporate interest? Which of course translates down to the CEO and his senior executives and their huge bonuses etc...

I agree with you, but until we can see renewed people who can live with modesty rather than:

<<The house is a four-storey Alex Tzannes-designed glass and concrete mansion Symond has spent the past eight years building on a prime piece of Point Piper waterfront. Reports put its value at anything from $30-50 million.>>

or his property developer brother...

<<$25 MILLION VIEW Property developer Simon Symond, brother of Aussie Home Loans' John Symond, has listed his Cremorne Point penthouse with expectations of more than $25 million>>

No wonder unions are rather 'irate' over worker pay rates?

It seems we are witnessing nothing less than the same rampant greed and drooling for the transient luxuries of this life, that the French Aristocracy did, (while the people starved), just before the revolution took off most of their heads.

Perhaps the biggest advantages to capitalise on are the abundant sunshine and open spaces, and technological advances are fast making this a reality.

On the solar front, solar thermal power plants are already feasible and being constructed. Photovoltaic advances are not only starting to challenge the retail price of electricity generation, but the wholesale price.

http://www.sunrgi.com/media.html

On the energy storage front, silicon nanowire anodes offer the promise of increasing the energy density of lithium ion batteries eightfold. This would see the Tesla electric sports car traveling over 400 km on a battery weighing less than 60 kg. There is also the Eestor capacitor which would end the problem of baseload power and rapidly advance the development of electric vehicles if feasible.

The production of synthetic crude oil and gasoline from organic waste is a recent breakthrough of the fast developing science of catalysed pyrolysis.

Peak oil is ever more likely to be due to reduced demand than reducing capacity.