About this episode

Grant McDowell and Tim Buckley discuss Australia's missed opportunities in global investment and recent developments in the energy sector.

Grant McDowell is in London and Tim Buckley is in Sydney recording the Spark Club Podcast on the 23rd March 2026 Highlights – Draft AER Default Market Offer Brilliant to see the Australian Energy Regulator has today flagged draft default market offer (DMO) electricity pricing down ⬇️ 1% to ⏬ 10% for residential consumers, and between ⬇️ 8% to ⏬ 21% for small business consumers The DMO sets an efficiently priced safety-net for households and small businesses on standing offer electricity plans and acts as a reference price to help consumers compare market offers. This is the draft ruling, with the final ruling released May 2026 for effect for the 12 months starting 1 July 2026. This is consistent with Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)'s quarterly energy dynamics highlighting Australia hit a record high 51% RenewableEnergy share in the 4QCY2025, and wholesale electricity prices fell by >40% yoy as a result. Highlights – PRRT reform - Petroleum Resource Rent Tax - Dodge The ACTU this week is calling for a flat 25% tax on Australian LNG to replace the entirely failing PRRT, to capture the wind fall war-profits being generated, and to then use the massive tax revenues of up to…

People in this episode

Host: Grant McDowell

Guest: Tim Buckley

Topics covered

• China investment
• energy market
• electricity pricing
• tax reform
• battery manufacturing
• renewable energy

Keywords

• China
• investment
• energy
• electricity
• tax
• renewable
• battery
• LNG

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Australian Energy Regulator, Australian Energy Market Operator, ACTU, CATL

Places: Australia, London, Sydney

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