News

Australia’s threatened metal manufactures
Australia’s net zero policies are driving a rapid de-industrialisation, as energy-intensive industries struggle to remain viable under rising costs and regulatory burdens.

Stanwell exits Gladstone green hydrogen project
Queensland’s largest green hydrogen project is on the scrap heap after state government-owned Stanwell Corporation announced its withdrawal from the international consortium developing the estimated $12.5 billion production plant and pipeline.

Gina Rinehart labels net zero a ‘magic pudding’ and says Australia should aspire to be like the United States
Gina Rinehart says net zero is an “unobtainable and expensive magic pudding”, and believes Australia should follow the lead of the US.

Rinehart lashes ‘magic pudding’ net zero
Gina Rinehart has lashed net zero as “unobtainable and expensive”, while celebrating Hancock Prospecting and Rio Tinto’s Hope Downs 2 $2.5 billion investment call.

Minerals Council urges policy reset as public purse takes big hit from profits, royalties decline
Australia’s peak mining lobby says unfavourable policy settings are coming to the fore after a $14.6bn plunge in royalties and company taxes collected from the sector.

Australian miners and smelters call for state aid during energy transition
Some of the country’s biggest industrial names are hit hardest as rising electricity costs and volatile commodity prices put their businesses at risk

Net zero is Australia’s biggest self-imposed economic burden
When I began writing about economics at The Australian more than a decade ago, these pages were filled with optimism: the resource boom was in full swing, the phrase “miracle economy” still prevalent. If we had a problem it was a “two-speed” economy, and an Australian dollar that was almost as valuable as the greenback.

Iron ore price drops again to flirt with multi-year lows amid gloomy forecasts
The value of Western Australia’s most important mineral commodity is tumbling towards lows not seen in 2.5 years, putting three of the big four banks on track for vindication.

Why the world cannot quit coal
Ten years after the signing of the Paris climate accord, demand for coal is still growing — largely because of India and China — and shows no signs of peaking.

Australia’s energy future lies with Chalmers with Abu Dhabi’s $30bn Santos takeover tilt
The Middle Eastern capital community under the banner of the Abu Dhabi group is set to make a fortune if it wins control of Santos.

‘Bailing out bad decisions’: Queensland slams Victoria over gas supply
Victoria cannot rely on pulling more gas from Queensland to shore up an energy system pushed to the edge by a cascading set of breakdowns and concerns over the reliability of renewables, with the pipeline flowing south already at full capacity.

Gas review zeroes in on Australia’s reputation in the international energy market
A Commonwealth review of three major policies that regulate the east coast gas market will consider any impact to Australia’s reputation as an investment destination while leaving the door open to unspecified government “initiatives” to boost domestic supply.