NewsBite

Mick de Brenni

October

Charlene Attard-Slack on her property in the Pioneer Valley that was assumed for the pumped hydro project.

It’s tree changers v farmers in Queensland’s battle for the bush

A small community in north Queensland has become a combat zone over energy policy in the state election campaign.

  • James Hall

June

The embattled Callide Power Station.

Workers threaten to ‘grind things down’ at troubled power station

The union has warned electricity prices will ultimately rise amid industrial action at the troubled Callide Power Station.

  • James Hall
The Callide C power station.

Qld to force public buyout of scandal-plagued Callide C power station

Queensland will force a buyout of Callide C power station after a damning report cited alarming safety risks behind the catastrophic explosion in 2021.

  • James Hall and Angela Macdonald-Smith
Steven Miles on Thursday.

Labor to splash $26b on green energy projects in Qld

Queensland will increase its spend on green energy transition by $7 billion to $26 billion over the coming four years as new poll compounds fears of election wipeout.

  • James Hall

February

The states hold the key to Chris Bowen’s energy transition dreams

Execution of the plan will depend on the co-operation of a group of sometimes hard-to-please energy ministers.

  • Samantha Hutchinson
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November 2023

Energy Minister Chris Bowen.

Fears taxpayers exposed under Bowen’s new green scheme

Industry and energy experts welcome the expanded scheme to help Australia reach 82 per cent renewables by 2030, but there are concerns about the cost.

  • Mark Ludlow

October 2023

Glencore is closing its copper mines but will keep its copper smelter in Mount Isa open.

Qld backs $5b transmission project despite mine closures

Government says there is still a strong need for the 1100 kilometre transmission line from Townsville to Mount Isa despite Glencore closing its copper mines in 2025.

  • Mark Ludlow

August 2023

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s support is falling, according to a new AFR/Freshwater Strategy poll.

Palaszczuk goes stale with voters, deputy hits back against ‘gossip’

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s deputy, Steven Miles, has dismissed talk she must step aside for Labor to be competitive at the next election as “rumours and gossip”. 

  • Gus McCubbing
CS Energy’s Callide power station near Biloela has been beset 
with issues.

Two years on, why this Qld power plant exploded remains a mystery

Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said he had full confidence in the state-owned CS Energy board to find out what happened.

  • Mark Ludlow

July 2023

NSW Premier Chris Minns: “I don’t need another complication or another policy change, when the challenges ahead of us are so serious.”

Victoria left to go it alone on gas ban to new homes

Other states have rejected the move, saying gas pipelines could be used to blend hydrogen as part of plans to reduce greenhouse emissions.

  • Mark Ludlow
Queensland’s conditions for major construction projects specify union-friendly measures the industry is worried federal Labor will adopt.

Fears Qld’s extra pay for union reps could go national

Builders are concerned that Queensland’s requirements that union delegates be paid more on state projects could be adopted at a federal level.

  • David Marin-Guzman

June 2023

CS Energy chairman and former lobbyist Jim Soorley in 2015.

Labor heavyweight Jim Soorley stands down from CS Energy

Labor veteran and CS Energy chairman Jim Soorley has resigned from the state-owned energy company four months before the end of his third term.

  • Updated
  • Mark Ludlow and Liam Walsh

May 2023

The C4 unit at Callide power station in Queensland blew up in May 2021.

Power prices to spike after delay in return of blast-hit power station

Australia’s energy grid is facing a precarious summer after CS Energy delayed the return of its troubled Callide C power station in Central Queensland until mid next year.

  • Updated
  • Mark Ludlow
Concept art of the proposed Brisbane Arena above the new underground Roma Street station.

Free tickets to woo politicians in battle for $2.5b Brisbane arena

Here’s how businesses deepened political connections amid a battle for a proposed stadium that is home to the Brisbane 2032 swimming program.

  • Liam Walsh
More than 80 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions arise from energy production and consumption.

Queensland sweetens landowner payments to accelerate energy transition

Queensland will offer an average $300,000 per kilometre to get landowner approval for putting up transmission lines.

  • Colin Packham
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An aerial view of the location for the Queensland government’s proposed five-gigawatt Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro site, which would dam the valley around the small community of Netherdale.

Energy bill relief to target low-income households, pensioners

Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said Commonwealth energy rebates would help vulnerable consumers including low-income households and pensioners.

  • Mark Ludlow

April 2023

CS Energy’s Callide power station near Biloela has been beset 
with issues.

Removal of coal power will put pressure on grid this winter

The closure of AGL Energy’s Liddell coal-fired power station this week and delays to replacement capacity is expected threaten the stability of the power grid over the winter months.

  • Mark Ludlow

March 2023

The C4 unit at Callide power station blew up in May 2021.

Callide C co-owner Genuity goes into voluntary administration

Genuity Group, which owns 50 per cent of the coal-fired power station, went into administration on Thursday after shareholders couldn’t agree on future funding.

  • Updated
  • Mark Ludlow
CS Energy’s Callide power station near Biloela has been beset 
with issues.

CS Energy looks to buy remaining stake in Callide C

The Queensland-owned company is looking at buy Genuity Group’s holding in the coal-fired power station after it went into voluntary administration.

  • Updated
  • Mark Ludlow

February 2023

CS Energy chief executive Andrew Bills.

CS Energy boss poached to work for SA Power Networks

CS Energy chief executive Andrew Bills resigned on Monday, saying he wanted a new challenge by moving to the privately-owned SA Power Networks.

  • Updated
  • Mark Ludlow

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/person/michael-christopher-de-brenni-hrl