David Fickling, Columnist

Australia's LNG Own Goal

Any move toward export curbs risks exacerbating shortages.

July 24, 2017 at 7:00 PM UTC

David Fickling is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering climate change and energy. Previously, he worked for Bloomberg News, the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.

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Australia has made such a mess of its energy policy in recent years that it's tempting to think nothing could make the situation worse. Pessimists can take heart, though: Resources Minister Matt Canavan seems to have set out to prove we're not at rock bottom yet.

The government will start a consultation process to determine if Australia faces a shortfall of natural gas in 2018, Canavan said Monday -- potentially triggering export curbs to ensure more is consumed at home.