This report models a number of policy solutions that would reduce the amount people on low incomes spend on energy, in order to reduce their energy stress and support a faster transition to clean energy.

As heatwaves across Australia heighten concern for high electricity prices as households try and stay cool, this research argues that the problem in electricity pricing is structural, and the Prime Minister’s proposed ‘big stick’ approach to breaking up electricity companies will likely exacerbate the problem, rather than fix it.

The Australia Institute has released the December National Energy Emissions Audit, authored by renowned energy expert Dr Hugh Saddler, covering emissions in the electricity sector over the previous month of November.

This report provides a clear picture of how market and policy decisions have affected consumer prices for the best part of a decade. It provides the transparency governments need to understand whether price changes proposed by retailers are consistent with changes in underlying costs – so price rises can be understood before they happen.

Over the last ten years, Australia’s electricity supply industry has undergone significant changes. In addition to the deregulation of retail prices, NSW saw a significant rise in network investment during the early and middle parts of that ten-year period. Feed-in tariffs designed to encourage the installation of rooftop photovoltaic panels (rooftop solar) as well as...