Research

The Queensland Labor Government has offered Adani a “beneficial” royalty deal that would loan hundreds of millions, on subsidised terms it is keeping secret, under a “transparent policy framework” that was a few dot points at the end of a press release.It has also offered Adani free road upgrades worth $100 million, despite Adani’s promise to build the roads for their near exclusive use. The government has repeatedly blocked access to documents a...

Stakeholders in the Lower Darling are strongly opposed to proposed changes to the Menindee Lakes. Local member Kevin Humphries has proposed a new ‘Option 7’ for the Lakes, aiming to deliver more water and local jobs.Unfortunately, Option 7 would require changes to legislation, agreements and infrastructure.There is a real risk that the NSW and Commonwealth governments will delay negotiations for water buy backs and compensation while they underta...

Western Australia’s economy is heavily impacted by the resource sector. 22% of gross state production comes from resources, making it heavily exposed to the booms and busts of global resource markets.The established gas industry in Western Australia comprises large-scale offshore gas fields focussed on export markets and a number of smaller onshore gas producers supplying domestic users.Resource royalties and taxes for petroleum (oil and gas) gen...

WA’s moratorium on fracking has been overturned without consideration of economic impacts.Economic logic, and the lived experience of Queensland and the USA, shows the industry has an incentive to expand as much and as fast as possible. This has a negative impact on communities, provides few jobs, little revenue and could increase domestic gas prices.[READ FULL REPORT]

Renewable generation in the National Energy Market (NEM) has reached a new record high, with all new energy generation over the last two months due to eight new solar farms coming online in the NEM, latest findings from the National Energy Emissions Audit show. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the November National Energy Emissions Audit authored by renowned energy expert, Dr Hugh Saddler, covering emissions in th...

Increasing extreme heat will have profound impacts on people, industries and ecosystems in Western Sydney. CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology projections estimate that the average number of days over 35 could increase by up to five times without strong climate policies from a historical average of 11 up to 52 days by 2090. Some parts of Western Sydney will experience even more extreme heat days. 

Between 18,000 and 59,000 construction and installation jobs could be created if the Energy Market Operator’s Integrated System Plan ‘fast scenario’ on renewable transition is adopted. It would see around 53% of capacity from renewable energy by 2030.

Industry, government and international organisations have given CCS credibility by making predictions about its success and setting targets that give it a clear place in emissions reductions plans.The only institutional target that CCS has met concerns the number of CCS projects launched. All targets for number of projects actually built and operating or for millions of tonnes of CO2 actually stored each year (“Mtpa”) have either not been met, or...

In this report series, we present and analyse the results of Senate voting intention polls to project the potential makeup of the Senate following one or more elections.On current polling, future elections are likely to return a crossbench that is about as large and divided as the current one. Future governments – whether Coalition or Labor – should prepare for a number of possible crossbenches: one where Greens votes are necessary to pass legisl...