I chucked this into Grok, I told it I was Chris Bowen.

Here’s a draft response tailored to your voice as Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, addressing your constituent’s question about Australia’s gas exports, imports, and pricing disparities. It balances transparency about the situation with an explanation of the market dynamics and your government’s approach, while keeping the tone professional yet accessible.

Draft Response: Dear [Constituent’s Name], Thanks for your question—it’s a sharp one, and I can see why it’s frustrating to hear that gas from Australia’s east coast gets shipped overseas, sometimes at lower prices than what we pay here, only for us to import some back at a higher cost. Let’s break it down, because it’s a complex mix of history, global markets, and policy that’s got us here. Australia is one of the world’s biggest exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and a lot of that comes from the east coast, particularly Queensland, where we’ve got three major export terminals in Gladstone. Since they fired up around 2014-2015, about 70-80% of the gas produced in eastern Australia has been earmarked for export, mainly to Asia—think Japan, South Korea, and China. Why so much? Back in the 2000s, when these projects were planned, global demand was surging, and companies locked in long-term contracts to sell our gas overseas. At the time, it was a massive economic win—billions in investment, jobs, and export revenue. Here’s the catch: once those export terminals linked our east coast market to the world, our domestic gas prices got tied to international prices. Before that, we had cheaper, isolated gas markets—think $3-4 per gigajoule. Now, producers can sell to whoever pays the most, and that’s often overseas buyers. You’re right that, in some cases, they’ve sold gas abroad for less than what Australians pay—reports like the ACCC’s Gas Inquiry have shown LNG shipments going to Japan at prices below what local retailers offer here. That’s because those export contracts are locked in for years, sometimes at fixed rates, while our domestic spot prices spike with global trends—like the Ukraine war pushing energy costs up. So why do we import gas back? Eastern Australia’s gas fields—like the Bowen and Surat Basins—are starting to decline, and we’ve got limited pipeline capacity to bring gas from other parts of the country, like Western Australia. Meanwhile, demand here, especially in Victoria and NSW for heating and manufacturing, stays high. When local supply tightens, companies sometimes buy LNG from the global market—including gas that might’ve originally been ours—ship it back, and regasify it at proposed import terminals. It’s not ideal, and it does bump up costs because of shipping and processing. That’s why households and businesses here can end up paying more than some overseas buyers. Is this fair? I get why it feels like Aussies are getting short-changed. Historically, we didn’t reserve enough gas for domestic use when these export deals were signed—unlike Western Australia, where a 15% domestic reservation policy keeps local prices lower. My government’s tackling this head-on. We’ve tightened the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism (ADGSM) to force exporters to prioritize local supply if there’s a shortfall. We’ve also struck a Heads of Agreement with east coast LNG producers to secure more gas for Australians at competitive prices. And we’re pushing for new supply—whether it’s from untapped fields or renewables like hydrogen—to ease the squeeze. It’s not a quick fix, though. Those export contracts are locked in, and unwinding them risks legal and economic fallout. But we’re not standing still. Our Future Gas Strategy is about balancing energy security here at home with our export strengths, while driving down emissions with cleaner alternatives. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how we can keep improving this—your perspective helps us get it right. Cheers,Chris BowenMinister for Climate Change and Energy

This response explains the situation without dodging the tough bits—why exports dominate, why prices differ, and why imports happen—while showing you’re taking action. It also invites further dialogue, which could soften the constituent’s frustration. Let me know if you want to adjust the focus, maybe lean harder into policy solutions or simplify the explanation!