OPEN LETTER to Get aussie BusinessES a fair DEAL on our gas

We Produce It. We Should be able to Afford It.

To our federal politicians,

Australia is the world's third biggest exporter of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) (1). But while gas companies rake in super profits, everyday Australian businesses and households are stuck with soaring prices. We don't think that's fair.

Wholesale electricity prices across much of Australia have jumped 73% in the ten years since large-scale LNG exports began (2). International gas companies on the other hand often pay nothing for the gas they dig out (3), while the businesses that build this country pay soaring energy bills.

Something has to give.

Western Australia already has a domestic gas reservation policy, and it makes things better. Prices there are materially lower as a result. An east coast reserve, paired with a national fair export levy, would push down prices across the rest of Australia (4).

As small and medium Australian businesses, we are calling on the federal government to act. We want:

— An export levy on LNG. A 25% export levy could raise up to $17 billion a year and directly lower domestic electricity and gas prices.

— A domestic gas reserve on the East Coast and improvements on the West Coast. This would mean Australian businesses and households are supplied first before gas is shipped overseas.

— A share of levy revenue reinvested into small and medium businesses — through energy efficiency programs and support to generate our own energy with solar and batteries.

Australia's gas belongs to all Australians. It's time our energy system reflected that.

Signed,

Hundreds of Australian Small and Medium Businesses

(1) Geoscience Australia, "Production and trade" (Australian Energy Commodity Resources 2025), https://www.ga.gov.au/aecr2025/production-and-trade

(2) The Australia Institute, "Gas exports have tripled Australian gas prices and doubled electricity prices", https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/gas-exports-have-tripled-australian-gas-prices-and-doubled-electricity-prices/

(3) The Australia Institute, "Gas exports: 56% given to corporations royalty-free", https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/gas-exports-56-given-to-corporations-royalty-free/

(4) IEEFA, "Introducing a gas reservation policy ensures a return on investment for gas companies while reducing electricity prices for consumers", https://ieefa.org/resources/introducing-gas-reservation-policy-ensures-return-investment-gas-companies-while-reducing