August
- Opinion
- Middle East tensions
Whatever happens next, Iran is in poor shape to fight anyone
Iran is under acute social, political and economic stress. Its rulers will be under pressure if they retaliate against Israel, or if they don’t.
July
- Opinion
- Hydrogen
Hard energy reality has mugged Fortescue’s hydrogen dreams
Andrew Forrest is not alone. Many corporates have suffered a similar delusion about simple, easy and cheap transition.
- Opinion
- Trump's White House
A resurgent Trump will have consequences for Australia
Trump 2.0 will pile rising expectations in Washington on Australia’s military readiness and on its strategic minerals. But that’s just the start.
May
- Opinion
- Iran
President’s death shows an Iran with few cards left to play
The death of president Ebrahim Raisi opens the way for a dynastic succession to Iran’s supreme leadership. The regime’s chief goal now is protecting the status quo.
- Opinion
- Energy transition
Billions are not enough to realise critical mineral and renewable hydrogen hopes
Where the government can make a real difference is getting the basics right; starting with environmental approval processes is just too hard.
April
Iran is now caught up in a mess of its own making
The Tehran regime’s use of proxy forces has left it boxed into a regional fight that it does not really want.
- Opinion
- Australian economy
AI could stretch Australia’s electricity supply to the limits
It would be ironic if world-changing technology like AI ended up prolonging the life of coal-fired power.
February
- Opinion
- Middle East tensions
Like Carter in 1980, America’s Iran options today are limited
The retaliatory strikes point to a toughening US position, with the Biden administration saying everything is on the table, but the reality is different.
January
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Beware of the critical minerals trap
Australia relies too much on the next big thing in commodities, while penalising its huge conventional mining sector.
- Opinion
- Iran sanctions
Wary of war, meddling Iran is vulnerable to more sanctions
A military attack would play into Tehran’s hands. But the Biden administration’s relaxing of pressure has allowed Iran to fund an escalation of conflict.
December 2023
- Opinion
- Energy transition
COP28 shows weaning the world off fossil fuels is hard to do
The hard reality is coal demand will be here for decades to come. Oil and gas are no different.
October 2023
- Opinion
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Hamas attack shows nothing has changed in Iran
Going on for 44 years since the overthrow of the Shah, Tehran has tried to destabilise the region with Israel in the frontline.
August 2023
- Opinion
- Critical minerals
Picking critical minerals winners requires hard choices
Just as governments played a central role in the development of steel or aluminium industries, Australia needs a critical minerals’ industry policy to become a market leader in downstream processing.
June 2023
- Opinion
- Critical minerals
The flaws in Australia’s new critical minerals strategy
The country should be maximising its advantages in copper and aluminium above all else.
- Opinion
- ESG Summit
Boards to blame for ESG mismatch
Company directors must bear responsibility for the regulator interest and threats of shareholder litigation after allowing management to make short-term PR promises that lack understanding of the real-world challenges of the energy transition.
January 2023
- Opinion
- ESG Summit
The four challenges ESG investors need to tackle this year
An energy crisis, a green trade war and the end of cheap money will test the commitment of ESG investors in 2023.
August 2022
- Opinion
- Copper
BHP’s bid for OZ Minerals shows why copper is the new oil
As the world seeks greater access to the one metal essential for the energy transition, Australia needs a national strategy to be at the centre of this.
July 2022
- Opinion
- Governance
ESG momentum is suddenly stoppable
The global energy crisis means companies now face a clash between environmental and social goals.