Climate & Energy Program

The Prime Minister and Energy Minister ignored advice from AEMO that renewables were not to blame for the SA blackout.

In the afternoon of 28 September 2016, a huge storm raged through South Australia, knocking over multiple power lines and triggering a stage-wide blackout. Almost immediately, politicians blamed the blackout on the relatively high concentration of windfarms in South Australia, including the Deputy Prime Minister.1

Economic assessment of the Rocky Hill project understates costs and overstates benefits. It is unlikely to be in the economic interest of NSW or the Gloucester community to approve this project.

Australians don’t want their money funding infrastructure for coal and gas companies under the $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), national polling released today reveals.

The NAIF will spend $5 billion of public funds in Northern Australia on infrastructure that is unable to attract commercial financing, which could include subsidising the controversial Adani Carmichael coal mine.

The Australia Institute has assessed the proposal for a $5 levy on iron ore in Western Australia. The policy should be supported as a pragmatic alternative to a resource rent tax.

The analysis finds that if the $5 levy had been imposed on relevant production over the last five years it would have raised $11.5 billion for the state.

“The iron ore mines that would pay the proposed fee have very low costs of production, with costs ranging from $US15-20 per tonne. With the price outlook at $US47-54 through to 2020, a $5 per tonne levy is very reasonable, affordable and fair,” Executive Director of The Australia Institute, Ben Oquist said.