You won’t hear politicians admit it, but the nation’s south-eastern states need to import gas and moves are afoot to quietly make it happen.

The reason they won’t admit it? Because of twin failures and decades of inaction.

NSW and Victoria are running out of gas and have little option but to import it. Credit: Getty Images

Australia is one of the most gas-rich nations in the world and one of the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters behind the United States, but gas import terminals are widely viewed as the best bet for NSW and Victoria to fill gaping holes in supply.

The two states that are home to more than half of Australia’s population have no near-term prospects of replacement gas supply. How did we get ourselves into this situation?

First, state and federal governments allowed the companies that built the Queensland gas fields to export gigantic volumes of gas through Gladstone port, with no requirements to set some aside for local use.

Second, NSW and Victoria have known for almost half a century that their traditional supply, the giant Bass Strait gas fields, would run out, but it is dwindling with no replacements in place.

Third, the gas pipeline from........

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