East-coast Australia's domestic gas shortage is crippling some rural businesses, and has prompted one owner to accuse the nation's politicians of treason.

Chris Cummins, from Cowra in regional New South Wales, owns an abattoir and is about to lock in a two-year contract with his gas supplier.

He told the ABC he expected the fixed price to surge by about 60 per cent.

"We are going to be $100,000 a month worse off in costs for our gas," he said.

"This is a death knell for so many businesses and I know pensioners who will not turn their heaters on in the winter time because they cannot afford it."

He wants the Federal Government to find some answers, but he also made a suggestion for the nation's Energy Minister.

"My advice to Josh Frydenberg is to grow a set and keep some gas for Australians — conventional gas," he said.

It comes amid a furious debate in Federal Parliament about electricity blackouts and large hikes in power bills.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chairman Rod Sims said the east-coast gas shortage was not getting the attention it deserved.

"We are not only short of gas. We also, particularly in New South Wales and Victoria, do not have enough gas suppliers," he said.

What's causing the shortage?

The ACCC pointed to three factors driving the domestic gas shortage.

First, the majority of Australia's liquefied natural gas (LNG) is exported to Asia.

"Three LNG plants went ahead at the same time — $20-billion investments — that saw a lot of gas being exported," Mr Sims said.

Reserve Bank research shows that more than 80 per cent of Australia's LNG is exported to Japan, while China and Korea take most of what is left.

The LNG purchased by Asian buyers is largely committed under long-term contracts, meaning the price is locked in.

More than 90 per cent of Australia's LNG goes to Japan, China and Korea. ( Supplied: Woodside Energy )

That was all going smoothly for the gas sector until the oil price dropped.

"That has partly been reversed now but it did cause cash-flow problems for some oil and gas producers," Mr Sims said.

"And thirdly, we then had the almost unanticipated bans or difficulties with developing deposits in New South Wales and Victoria."

Four states and territories have banned unconventional gas exploration called fracking, and the Federal Government is urging them to lift the moratoriums.

Is fracking the solution?

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a way of extracting unconventional gases from coal seams and shale. High-pressure water and chemicals are pumped into rock which is fractured to release the trapped gases.

Opponents argue that it damages water tables and the environment.

'Lock the gate' ... Fracking is a controversial topic across Australia. ( ABC News: Roxanne Taylor )

New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have temporary or permanent bans in place.

Mr Sims said more gas exploration, of some description, was critical.

"We just need to explore and develop more gas. That, I am afraid, is the only answer we have left," he said.

He suggested one solution may be building more gas plants and pipelines, including the Northern Gas Pipeline.

What is the Northern Gas Pipeline?

Construction on the Northern Gas Pipeline is slated to begin this year. ( Supplied: Jemena )

A Chinese-Singaporean controlled company wants to build a 622-kilometre pipeline from Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory to Mount Isa in Queensland.

If successful, it could connect the Territory to the east-coast gas market and send critical supply further south.

The company, Jemena, has maintained it has the approval from relevant Indigenous groups, but fracking is causing controversy.

The proposed pipeline would stretch 622 kilometres across the Northern Territory-Queensland border. ( Supplied: Jemena )

Some Indigenous people from the Territory's Barkley region, including Paul Wickham, are worried Jemena could resume exploration if the ban is lifted.

"We want to see there will be no fracked gas through that pipeline," Mr Wickham said.

"That is another agreement that we want to see signed off properly but we have not seen any of that in front of us."

The pipeline still needs the Commonwealth's tick of approval but Jemena said it was confident the project would proceed.