<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The question of a gas export tax </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-gas-exports-new-tax-would-make-australia-17-billion-and-cut-domestic-prices-senate-told/968d5f20-324e-47f9-9e3d-774f408497f2" rel="" target="_blank" title="brought a lot of voices to parliament yesterday"><span>brought a lot of voices to parliament yesterday</span></a><span> - but one in particular stood out for his fiery stand on behalf of "punters".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Former teacher Konrad Benjamin, who founded the "Punter's Politics" podcast, was among those who spoke before the Senate Select Committee on Taxation of Gas Resources yesterday, and the popular online politics analyst quickly went viral for it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Benjamin opened with a quip that speaking before a room full of politicians would normally cost "$3000 a head" before letting loose with both barrels.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-april-22-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/c3a8451b-6736-489e-8f50-adf4641cb25c" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Trump announces ceasefire extension with Iran</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're here today to discuss the need for Australians to receive what we are owed for our natural resources that belong to us," he said in a statement that ultimately accused the government of falling victim to gas industry lobbyists.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We were told that we, regular punters like me, 'oh, don't worry about it'," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We millions of regular Aussies are now paying attention, and we understand a few things that we might not have understood before.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/gas-tax-senate-committee-punters-politics-konrad-benjamin-blasts-politicians/0d8b2072-af33-4724-87cf-de29f0a0e302" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/rebel-wilson-defamation-lawsuit-rising-star-to-testify/6269cea3-27e7-4673-bdb0-a7ca80a313aa" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Rising star to testify in 'nightmarish' feud with Rebel Wilson</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We understand that Australia's gas is very valuable. We understand that we're giving most if away for free to foreign corporations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We understand that the same foreign corporations pay close to bugger-all tax.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We understand that a stable democracy like ours, with lots of valuable natural resources, gives us a lot of leverage.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Benjamin said the fact Australian gas is sold to nations overseas, who make their own profit on top of it, means regular Aussies are being "sold out".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This doesn't just not pass the pub test - this is outrageous," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We've been sold out, because we shouldn't have issues with what we can afford. We should be looking at how we can invest in future businesses, how we can supply basic medical and dental to anyone who wants it."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/outback-murder-fresh-ivan-milat-link-explored-in-murder-highway-mystery/530a0897-6959-4f12-be8a-71849f6daf8e" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Fresh Ivan Milat link explored in murder highway mystery</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"So the question we punters have is, how is it that we are holding all of the cards, yet still losing?"</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He pointed out that Norway, which does tax its gas exports, had assembled a $3 trillion sovereign wealth fund for its citizens.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Punters Politics, honestly, shouldn't exist. I shouldn't really be here," Benjamin said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A million Australians following my content online, watching somebody explain gas, isn't a success story. It's a symptom of a government that has stopped working for the punters that elected them."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He urged the government to think of people struggling to pay their bills while MPs and senators heard from gas corporation executives.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There are nurses living in cars, teachers buying lunch for kids who can't afford it, tradies who skip meals so they can feed their family," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We still pay our tax, and we don't get our gas for free."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>