The impact of power costs on Queensland and what can be done? - Brisbane

The prices of gas and electricity have risen substantially. Homes and businesses – particularly energy intensive businesses – are facing the squeeze and energy is an issue in the coming state election. Can businesses survive the electricity price pinch? Is the National Electricity Market part of the problem or of the solution? And what will the impacts be on jobs and regional centres if they can’t? This State of Affairs event, hosted by Grattan Institute and the UQ Energy Initiative, discussed the likely impacts and possible outlook for Queenslanders.

Moderator

Tony Wood has been Energy Program Director at Grattan since 2011 after 14 years working at Origin Energy in senior executive roles. From 2009 to 2014 he was also Program Director of Clean Energy Projects at the Clinton Foundation, advising governments in the Asia-Pacific region on effective deployment of large-scale, low-emission energy technologies. In 2008, he was seconded to provide an industry perspective to the first Garnaut climate change review.

Speakers

Lynne Gallagher is the Director of Research at Energy Consumers Australia. She leads the work on Energy Consumers Australia flagship research, the Energy Consumer Sentiment Survey. Lynne is also responsible for two other programs – the $2 million a year Grants Program, which supports evidenced based advocacy and research on behalf of residential and small business consumers, and the Power Shift Program which is a collaborative initiative to support energy efficiency in low income households. Lynne has a diverse background in energy, financial services and competition policy, with experience at senior management levels in the corporate and public sectors.

Peter Geers is the Executive General Manager (EGM) of Markets, a department that looks at the financial operation of, and transactions across, Australia’s gas and electricity markets. Peter joined the ELT following his work as Group Manager of AEMO’s Markets and Business Strategy divisions, and has a wealth of experience in the energy industry. Peter is passionate about ensuring AEMO adapts to changes in the energy industry, and is keen to use his experience in people management to progress work that helps AEMO remain agile and responsive.

Stephen Wilson, formerly General Manager of Market and Industry Analysis for Rio Tinto Energy, is Director of the consulting firm Cape Otway Associates and has over 25 years experience advising governments, companies and banks on projects in more than 35 countries in all energy forms along the value chain from mines to consumers. Stephen is an Adjunct Professor with the UQ Energy Initiative, where he teaches Energy Markets, Law and Policy for the Masters in Sustainable Energy. He is also working on Rapid Switch, a collaboration between UQ, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, Tsinghua and IIT Bombay that is applying a new approach to the decarbonisation of the global economy, which is trans-disciplinary and grounded in reality.