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Oz Blog News Commentary
MacroBusiness Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - 09:00 Source

I wrote yesterday that the RBA must not hike today. There is a good example of a central bank that found itself in a similar position in 2008. Michael Hartnett at BofA notes that trom August 2007 to July 2008, oil prices ranged from $70 to $140 per barrel, and subprime tremors started (BNP, Northern

The post RBA ready to destroy itself? appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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Renew Economy Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - 08:23 Source

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Renew Economy Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - 08:21 Source

gas stove top, free pikWe have identified two sensible strategies that would allow NSW to reduce residential gas consumption and achieve a net reduction in electricity demand.

The post How Australia’s most populous state can quit household gas, while also cutting electricity demand appeared first on Renew Economy.

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MacroBusiness Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - 08:00 Source

Imagine, for a moment, a very different Australia. One where the nation has had nothing but competent governance for decades, all conducted in the national interest, with strong bipartisan support for the long-term projects necessary to secure any nation’s future. It would be a stark contrast to the current state of the nation, where we

The post Is government the big problem in the current crisis? appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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Your Democracy Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - 07:52 Source

Let’s be honest, most people don’t think twice about portable toilets or what happens after they flush. But in 2006, an Aussie bloke in hi-vis changed all that. His name was Kenny Smyth, and his mission? Keeping the world turning one portable dunny at a time.

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Your Democracy Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - 06:55 Source

Monday, March 16, 2026: Officials in the administration of Donald Trump have increased pressure on American media outlets over their reporting on the ongoing war with Iran, raising concerns among journalists and free-speech organizations about possible threats to press freedom in the United States.

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Renew Economy Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - 06:34 Source

Synergy collie battery at nightThe arrival of big batteries - including the two biggest in Australia to date - has changed the game on the country's biggest isolated grid, particularly on prices.

The post Rise of the “big orange blob”: Australia’s biggest batteries change the game in its largest isolated grid appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Your Democracy Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - 05:44 Source

Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal backtracks on claims Sydney Harbour Bridge protests were antisemitic. Stephanie Tran reports on antisemitism meeting.

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Your Democracy Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - 05:04 Source

US President Donald Trump has said that he has asked ‘about seven’ countries to join a coalition to police the Strait of Hormuz.

In a Sunday interview, he warned that NATO faces a “very bad” future if US allies fail to assist in securing the vital waterway currently blocked by Iran, which normally allows for 20 percent of the world’s oil to be shipped from the Persian Gulf.

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MacroBusiness Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - 00:01 Source

Richard Denniss, co‑Chief Executive Officer of The Australia Institute, published an article dismissing the claim that Australia is suffering from a housing shortage. Denniss claims that “Australia actually has more than enough houses, they’re just owned by investors”. He cited ABS data on the number of dwelling showing that “over the past 10 years, the

The post Australia’s housing shortage by the numbers appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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Your Democracy Monday, March 16, 2026 - 21:14 Source

Little shocks me these days, but when I heard President Trump’s remark this weekend that after “totally demolishing” much of Iran’s Kharg Island, the United States “may hit it a few more times just for fun,” I was taken aback.

War is not fun.

 

Trump’s ‘Just for Fun’ War Talk Shows a Dangerous Trivialization

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Your Democracy Monday, March 16, 2026 - 19:37 Source

THE CARTOON IN THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD TODAY (16 MARCH 2026) IS A HORRID PIECE OF PROPAGANDA... YES, WE KNOW, CARTOONIST BADIUCAO IS FIERCELY ANTI-CHINESE FOR PERSONAL REASONS AND WE APPRECIATE THIS... BUT BY PUBLISHING BADIUCAO'S WORK, THE SMH GENERALISE A PROPAGANDA AGAINST CHINA THAT IS BASED ON LIMITED AND INCORRECT GENERAL FACTS...

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John Quiggin Monday, March 16, 2026 - 16:03 Source

The latest Quarterly Essay has just come out, including my response to Sean Kelly’s The Good Fight which asks the question: What does Labor stand for? My somewhat despondent answer “Labor stands for itself. For the moment, that seems to be enough.”

Reading Sean Kelly’s The Good Fight, I was struck by an observation attributed to John Howard: “in the 1960s, he said, 40 per cent reliably voted Labor, 40 per cent Liberal, with 20 per cent in the centre. The proportion of swing voters, he said, had doubled since then.”

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Renew Economy Monday, March 16, 2026 - 14:07 Source

Australia's first commercially operated solar thermal power station and one of the first of its kind in the world is being considered for heritage listing.

The post “Arguably a world first:” Historic solar thermal plant lines up for heritage listing appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 16, 2026 - 13:57 Source

nabralift fortescueAndrew Forrest’s 2 gigawatt wind plans to help decarbonise his Pilbara iron ore operations have rejoined the queue for federal environmental approval, following a “substantial redesign."

The post Huge Fortescue wind farm seeks federal green tick after halving proposed turbine numbers appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 16, 2026 - 13:30 Source

New data shows new global wind capacity hit a third-straight record year in 2025, led by China which became the first market to add more than 100 GW in a single year.

The post No wind farms in China? Trump claim torched by record year of new wind capacity, mostly in China appeared first on Renew Economy.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 16, 2026 - 13:09 Source

Renewables retailer seals "foundational" offtake deal with a project that is helping to lay the foundations for a new breed of solar and battery hybrid projects.

The post “Brilliant economics”: Offtake deal seals delivery of Australia’s biggest solar-battery hybrid project appeared first on Renew Economy.

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John Quiggin Monday, March 16, 2026 - 13:00 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 16, 2026 - 13:00 Source

Australian gas prices have held at $10Gj over the past few days. I have been relatively confident that the East Coast gas export cartel will not repeat the Ukraine War price shock at home, knowing, as it does, that the public won’t stand for it again. However, I have a bad feeling every time our

The post Mad King must put Australians first for gas appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 16, 2026 - 12:31 Source

Judge accuses regional council of having a "bee in their bonnet" and of losing perspective in its case against a wind project approval.

The post “A bee in their bonnet:” Judge says council has “lost perspective” in its legal case against wind project appeared first on Renew Economy.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 16, 2026 - 12:30 Source

Last week, I presented detailed data on how the sharp reduction in net overseas migration (NOM) in Canada, which turned negative last year, has suppressed rents. After experiencing explosive rental growth in 2022 and 2023 amid record NOM, Canada has experienced 17 consecutive monthly declines in rents: Canadian rents are now tracking at a 33-month

The post The evidence is clear: immigration drives rental growth appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 16, 2026 - 12:10 Source

 TE H2.Massive, multi-gigawatt solar and battery project has started on the environmental journey, after a short but bruising legal suit it says was to find Native Title holders.

The post Enormous Top End solar and battery project seeks federal green tick appeared first on Renew Economy.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 16, 2026 - 12:00 Source

Chinese property is OK post-LNY but the year has started poorly. The secondary market is still awash. EV sales have dropped post-incentives. But watch this space. If there is one winner globally from the American Madman’s war, this is it. Broader car sales are similar. Consumer depression continues. Coal isn’t growing, but its sovereign value

The post The Chinese Titanic just hit a second iceberg appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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Your Democracy Monday, March 16, 2026 - 11:49 Source

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Jan Fran picks an issue of the week that is living rent free in her head. Right now, it's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke's decision to grant asylum to some members of the Iranian women's soccer team, while passing legislation that prevents people from conflict and crisis-affected countries from visiting Australia.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 16, 2026 - 11:30 Source

Australia’s largest real estate group, Ray White, has issued a stern warning that proposed changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax (CGT) discount would trigger a major shock to the rental market. Ray White managing director Dan White and chief economist Nerida Conisbee told 10,500 members that the federal government is considering reducing

The post Property lobby rallies against CGT changes appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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Renew Economy Monday, March 16, 2026 - 11:06 Source

An epic horseback journey from Narrabri to Newcastle aims to spotlight the farms, landscapes and landholders caught up in one of NSW's most contentious fossil fuel projects.

The post Four horses, 400 km, and a fight over a gas pipeline that will cross the state’s most fertile plains appeared first on Renew Economy.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 16, 2026 - 11:00 Source

When the war in the Middle East first broke out, I warned that Australia faced a triple energy threat of higher petrol/diesel prices, higher gas prices, and higher electricity prices. Vivek Dhar, Head of Commodities and Sustainable Economics at CBA, published a detailed analysis warning of similar risks, arguing that Australia’s energy system is facing

The post Australia’s energy winter of discontent appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 16, 2026 - 10:30 Source

The American Madman raised the prospect of talks to resolve a dispute that has disrupted oil markets and nearly stopped shipping in the vital Strait of Hormuz. “Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” Trump stated, adding that Tehran’s promise to give

The post Trump mulls deal in the mirror appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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Your Democracy Monday, March 16, 2026 - 10:05 Source

Conservative activist and commentator Tucker Carlson has been at the center of a row after he claimed that the CIA is purportedly preparing a criminal referral against him to the DOJ.

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MacroBusiness Monday, March 16, 2026 - 10:00 Source

As the world continues to assess the impact and implications of a protracted closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, Australia is facing major challenges to its fuel security. According to the latest snapshot provided by Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen, Australia possesses stocks worth 36 days of

The post Iran & Trump to hit your next holiday hard appeared first on MacroBusiness.

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