⏱️This edition of the National Account’s newsletter is a five-minute read.
👋 G’day everyone, Archie here.
My Sydney tour guide duties are done, with mother dearest now back on a plane home to New Zealand.
We had a fantastic couple of days with my cousin, who also flew in from across the ditch, rounding things out with a trip to Manly Beach on Sunday afternoon.
Not a bad weekend, if I do say so myself, and I think they would agree, especially after escaping a freak hailstorm in my hometown of Christchurch on Saturday.
I won’t lie, we had a good laugh scrolling through social media, where there were plenty of photos and videos of people dressed to the nines at the races getting hammered by hail.
Mum and I couldn’t decide what was more concerning: some of the fashion choices or the fact that it was hailing in the middle of November.
Anyway, let’s crack on with the news 🗞️.
The AEC supports the transition to net zero emissions by 2050 on the premise that the least cost, lowest impact pathway is an energy system dominated by renewables (wind and solar, including rooftop solar) and firmed with battery storage, gas and pumped hydro.
🗣️ Why did she say that?
The people who actually run Australia’s energy system say Net Zero is the cheapest way forward.
A new survey, released today, puts major energy CEOs at odds with Sussan Ley and the Liberals’ new climate stance or ditching Net Zero by 2050.
Australian Energy Council CEO Louise Kinnear said members of the council understand “the urgency of climate change and the role of the energy industry in meeting our emission ambitions. We also know that there is no going back from or halting the energy transition”.
For my full breakdown, check out today’s video:
Around the Grounds 🦘
Across the country, things are happening at a local level that have an impact nationally. Here are the stories you might not hear about in the traditional media.
🍻 Boele’s Beers
Independent MP for the federal seat of Bradfield, Nicolette Boele, has proposed an amendment to the federal government’s beer excise freeze.
Her amendment would extend the tax freeze to canned and bottled beer brewed by members of the Independent Brewers Association.
Boele says it’s about levelling the playing field for smaller brewers competing against multinational companies.
Read that story by clicking below 👇
🌊 Victoria’s coastal icon
In Victoria’s Gippsland region, the Kilcunda Trestle Bridge has stood since 1911, towering 12 metres above the mouth of Bourne Creek and stretching 91 metres across.
Jacob Wallace from the Gippsland Monitor explores the history of this early 20th century timber engineering marvel, which offers views of the Bass Highway on one side and the sweeping coastline on the other.
Read that story by clicking below 👇
🎾 93-Year-Old Tennis Club Faces Its Last Serve
In Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, Mitcham Tennis Club faces losing its courts after 93 years to a $17.4 million redevelopment of Nunawading’s Walker Park.
Council officers are recommending the club merge or close, citing low membership, but president Douglas Evans says numbers have doubled since 2024.
The plan would replace the indoor sports complex with a new two-storey gymnastics and sports centre, but construction is not scheduled to start until July 2031.
Read that story by clicking below 👇
🤐 Freedom of REDACTED
Given that parliament is back in session next week, I wanted to take a closer look at some of the changes the federal government is proposing around how Australians access information and the Freedom of Information Act.
One claim that doesn’t seem entirely accurate is that the government is being inundated with FOI requests from AI bots that may be linked to foreign powers or criminal gangs.
According to the independent think tank, the Centre for Public Integrity, there is no evidence to support this claim.
For more, check out the video below.
Thanks for catching up with me. I hope you enjoyed this issue, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Just reply to this email and I’ll be on the other side 👋
I’ll be back on Wednesday.
Cheers, Archie