An Australian politician has launched a blistering attack on gas exporters, accusing them of profiteering while the nation "begs for the scraps" from its own resources.
Parliamentary Outburst Against Gas Companies
Labor MP Ed Husic delivered an impassioned speech in parliament demanding that gas producers sell cheaper fuel for domestic use in Australia. The politician broke ranks with his own party to voice growing frustration about the country's energy market.
"Our gas, our prices: that should be the bedrock, the cornerstone of our thinking," Husic declared during his powerful address. He expressed particular anger at overseas buyers who he claimed were dictating terms to Australia while making massive profits from reselling Australian gas.
Confronting International Buyers
The MP specifically called out Japanese companies that purchase Australian gas only to resell it at significantly higher prices. Australia must 'have the guts' to stand up to these practices, Husic argued, highlighting what he sees as an unacceptable power imbalance in the current arrangements.
"We cannot tolerate being lectured to by overseas buyers telling us what we can do with our gas when they on-sell the gas they get from us to make a massive profit," he stated, capturing the core of his argument against the current export-focused system.
Fundamental Market Reform Needed
Husic dismissed partial solutions as inadequate, arguing that "tinkering at the edges" of reform would not fix what he described as a "fundamentally distorted" gas market. His speech represents a significant challenge to the current government's approach to energy policy and gas exports.
The intervention comes amid growing pressure on the Australian government to address soaring energy costs for households and businesses, with many questioning why a resource-rich country faces such high domestic gas prices.
