Gas companies blame the government for banning the opening of new gas fields for them to plunder as the reason for our possible gas shortages. They have uncontracted gas available, and all the government has to do is pass the laws to divert that gas to domestic use. So the government can do it if it really needs to. As for more gas .... nup. More gas just adds to global warming and we get hardly any cash benefit from the huge gas sales anyway. The gassers off shore and depreciate all their profits to zip. Give them nothing extra .... they contribute nothing but a few extra jobs to Australian economy and the tax they pay us is a disgrace .....Big AL says....