Tis a smidge more complex than simply blaming someone...

Tis a smidge more complex than simply blaming someone ...............

viz:

1. over the next 8 - 10 years - circa 8000MW of installed generating capacity will be "retired" due to old age ......see the AEMO reports ........everyone KNOWS this .....
2. As has already occurred in WA - the linkage of gas prices to intl oil prices via exports of LNG, has caused domestic gas prices to rise (plus minus slope of contracts, time delays re JCC etc etc.......). WA put in place a 15% reservation policy .........no chg in wa domestic gas prices !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. this is now occurring in eastern seaboard..........
4. the reason its being exacerbated - is as you point out - a lack of additional supply due to legislation etc etc .......
5. as a result - the pollies are "feeling the heat"............and will try and come up with a soln .........
6. lets assume some sort of export controls ...............

now think abt what happens to Aussie domestic gas prices if / when oil prices rally back to 75-85/bbl ..........................

now think abt what happens to electricity prices as some of the old plant is retired ..........

now think abt the political ideology of "this is coal" versus "climate change" .........

ask - if any company will spend the billions on new investment - until their is some sort of clarity on price of carbon / ownership of resources / longer term prices of gas / electricity etc ......

political ideology gets in the way of setting long term policy ........which leads us to where we are now .............

it would be extremely funny, if it were not sooooo sad .......and so very serious !

rgds
Value_Hunter