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Oz Blog News Commentary
MacroBusiness Tuesday, March 10, 2026 - 00:01 Source

The 2020s are shaping up as a decade to forget for Australian households. According to national accounts data released last week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), real per capita household disposable income—arguably the best indicator of material living standards—remained stuck in the low growth zone in 2025, still tracking 3.9% below the COVID-19

The post A decade to forget for Australian households appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 21:19 Source

Melbourne houses small iStock-1721581939All Australian homes should receive a score out of 10 for energy efficiency before they can be sold or rented, experts say, as part of an expansion to a national assessment program.

The post Mandatory energy rating report card urged for all homes appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Your Democracy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 21:02 Source

Jimmy and comedian, writer and actor Rick Overton light into Jon Stewart for recycling Islamophobic “72 virgin” jokes from the Iraq War era to mock Iran's response to U.S. aggression, accusing him of pushing war propaganda while ignoring critical facts. They detail how Iran only attacked U.S. military bases that were being used to bomb Iran, while Israel is simultaneously attacking Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Lebanon —facts Stewart omits, to paint Iran as irrational.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 19:43 Source

Australian surf brand Bolero Surf has partnered with Spanish energy giant Acciona to make surfboard fins from recycled wind turbine blades in the hope of creating a new Australian manufacturing industry. The Bolero Surf fins are the first commercially available product to come out of Acciona’s ‘Turbine Made’ initiative which it launched in February 2025. […]

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Renew Economy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 19:34 Source

ararat wind farmSpanish wind giant buys wind farm that was once the biggest in Australia, and which it hopes to free from grid constraints with the addition of new transmission lines.

The post Spanish energy giant completes purchase of wind farm it hopes to free from grid constraints appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Your Democracy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 19:31 Source

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Renew Economy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 19:19 Source

mortlake battery origin energy Victoria BESSVictoria's second-largest big battery, constructed next to the state's biggest gas generator, has joined the grid management system.

The post Victoria’s second-largest big battery poised to charge up, next to the state’s biggest gas generator appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Your Democracy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 17:21 Source

Australian personnel aboard a US nuclear submarine during an attack on an Iranian vessel highlight the deeper implications of AUKUS – and the risk of Australia being drawn into American wars.

The AUKUS trilateral pact has cost Australia dear. Over the decades, it will cost the Australian taxpayers well over the projected A$368 billion being assessed by the wonks in Canberra. Nuclear-powered submarines of the Virginia Class may or may not be delivered.

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Your Democracy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 16:57 Source

A congressional committee has voted to summon US Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The motion to subpoena Bondi was introduced by Nancy Mace, a Republican lawmaker, who accused the justice department of a "cover-up".

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THE BLOT REPORT Monday, March 9, 2026 - 16:53 Source
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Your Democracy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 16:11 Source

Global oil prices have jumped above $110 (£82.74) a barrel and stock markets have slumped as the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran has fuelled fears of prolonged disruption to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran on Sunday named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader, signalling that a week into the conflict hardliners remain in charge of the country.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 14:02 Source

Federal energy minister dismisses reports of row-backs on clean energy and EV spending amid speculation about the upcoming budget and apparent panic-buying of petrol.

The post “The speculation is wrong:” Bowen dismisses talk of clean energy, EV roll-backs as Australians panic over oil appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 14:00 Source

Early results from Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard are in. Plus, Jaecoo J5, Hyundai Elexio, and electric trucks' role in Australia’s energy security.

The post The Driven Podcast: Car makers clear first NVES hurdle as EV transition accelerates appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 13:42 Source

 FRV AustraliaNZ government plans to import gas raises questions about whether this is the best approach to strengthening energy security. New analysis suggests it is not.

The post New modelling shows renewable electricity can meet NZ future demand – without importing gas appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 13:11 Source

 One NationTyron Whitten says he's opposed to large scale solar and for "cheap" coal and nuclear. But Sky Energy aims... to enable the one and avoid the other.

The post One Nation senator who hates renewables, backs nuclear, owns shares in solar-battery company appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 12:58 Source

A rush to get the biggest possible discount on a really big battery, before changes to the rules, delivers a new record for the Cheaper Home Batteries rebate.

The post Battery rebate smashes new record as households pile in – and size up – ahead of changes appeared first on Renew Economy.

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THE BLOT REPORT Monday, March 9, 2026 - 12:34 Source

Some time ago, I wrote a piece about the batshit idiocy of Christian zionists1, which I summarise here. Christian Zionism is theological and political movement that supports the return of the Jewish diaspora to a Jewish homeland in Palestine, based on readings of parts of the bible that suggest that Palestine is a sacred land promised to the Jews by God. Even more bizarre is that Christian Zionists believe that by blessing and supporting the Jewish people and the modern state of Israel, they themselves will be blessed by God. The batshit extension of this is as follows.

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THE BLOT REPORT Monday, March 9, 2026 - 12:08 Source
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John Quiggin Monday, March 9, 2026 - 12:07 Source

Another Monday Message Board. Post comments on any topic. Civil discussion and no coarse language please. Side discussions and idees fixes to the sandpits, please.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 9, 2026 - 12:00 Source

It may seem counterintuitive, but, in my view, the odds of a Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) rate hike next week are falling by the minute. If the Iran war continues at its current intensity and the Straits of Hormuz remain closed, the oil price will be $200 next week, on its way to $500

The post Emergency RBA rate cuts anyone? appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 11:41 Source

Synergy Collie batteryAustralia is shifting toward solar and storage hybrids, with battery-centric DC-coupled systems helping manage curtailment, simplify grid connections and deliver energy when it’s most valuable.

The post Why developers are choosing battery-centric DC coupling for big solar and storage in Australia appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Your Democracy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 11:34 Source

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s slain leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was chosen to succeed him in a decision announced on Monday by the Assembly of Experts. Iran’s clerical body named Mojtaba as the country’s new supreme leader amid ongoing war and US-Israeli airstrikes.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 9, 2026 - 11:30 Source

Australia’s major capital city housing markets have been two-speed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. As illustrated below using PropTrack data on dwelling values, home prices across Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide have more than doubled since March 2020, whereas Sydney (46%) and Melbourne (22%) have experienced significantly slower value growth: Cotality’s

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 9, 2026 - 11:00 Source

The supply-side nutters at the Centre for Independent Studies have produced “research” showing that “migrants aren’t to blame for the housing crisis”. Instead, the CIS argues that Australia’s housing shortage is “the result of not enough dwellings being built”: “Population growth alone does not produce today’s housing shortage”, claimed CIS author Marian L Tupy. “The

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Renew Economy Monday, March 9, 2026 - 10:57 Source

Fortescue's North Solar solar farm.Fortescue moves full steam ahead on its Pilbara renewables plans, this week kicking off construction of WA's largest solar farm and the latest piece in its ambitious decarbonisation puzzle.

The post Fortescue forges ahead on Pilbara “real zero” with construction of state’s biggest solar farm appeared first on Renew Economy.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 9, 2026 - 10:30 Source

With the likelihood of a protracted war in the Middle East increasing, Australia is facing rising energy prices on three fronts. Rising Oil (Petrol and Diesel) Prices: The price of oil has already risen and should continue to do so as global supplies are halted and the Straits of Hormuz seize up. All Iran needs

The post Australia faces a triple-headed energy shock appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 9, 2026 - 10:00 Source

Proponents of high levels of immigration typically argue that it lifts productivity and living standards because migrants tend to be better educated and more highly skilled than the average Australian. They generally cite spurious modelling to support their claims, ignoring the actual empirical evidence showing that Australia’s labour productivity and per capita GDP growth slowed

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 9, 2026 - 09:00 Source

The world is falling apart, but the jaws are back. According to scuttlebutt, the proximate causes are: China’s state-run iron ore buyer told several traders this week to buy fewer seaborne cargoes of BHP’s flagship products, including Mac fines and Newman fines, people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as a months-long contract dispute

The post Iron ore roars as fundamentals collapse appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 9, 2026 - 08:30 Source

Goldman reckons oil is going higher. The analysis highlights rapidly rising upside risks to oil prices from a severe disruption to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. The base case forecast previously assumed Brent crude in the low $80s in March and the high $70s in the second quarter, based on the expectation that

The post Brace for $10 petrol prices appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 9, 2026 - 08:00 Source

The global gas shock is building and is going much higher this week unless the TACO comes. If the TACO doesn’t arrive, the gas price will skyrocket by the following week. But so far, the reaction at home has been completely different from the reaction to the Ukraine War. The local gas spot price is

The post Grattan Institute saves Aussies from Iran gas shock appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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