You are going to hear a lot from the gas industry over the next couple of weeks, talking about how any plans to tax gas will “hurt investment”.

When you hear those claims, we just hope you ask yourself – OK, where are they going to go instead? Japan, which has no natural gas but still manages to be a gas exporter because it imports more than it needs and on-sells the excess for more than it paid?

Norway, where they tax the oil and gas sector at about 78% – 22% corporate rate and a 56% special tax?

Qatar, which collects about four time the revenue?

Where exactly are the gas companies going? They are here because they want our gas. And we have basically given it away to them, so of course they are going to be upset that the gravy train ends.

And most importantly, we don’t need to open more gas wells to do this. Australia can supply its energy needs, with the existing gas wells.