5 - Minute Briefing

Energy crisis forces Australians to choose between food and power as temperatures soar

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Energy crisis forces Australians to choose between food and power as temperatures soar

Miko Santos

Mar 13, 2025

Transcript

Today is March 13, and here is your Evening news briefing!

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Energy Poverty Crisis Deepens as Temperatures Rise

Key Findings from ACOSS Research

Alarming statistics: 87% of surveyed Australians live in homes that become dangerously hot during summer
Health impacts: 92% reported negative health impacts from excessive heat, with 14% requiring medical attention in the past year
Financial desperation: Half of respondents are skipping meals, medication, and other essentials to pay energy bills
Vulnerable groups: People with disabilities or chronic illnesses are five times more likely to require medical care for heat-related symptoms
Housing disparity: First Nations people are twice as likely and renters three times as likely to seek heat-related medical attention

Personal Stories Behind the Statistics

61-year-old Euan from Melbourne: "Every day is a battle for me and it's worse at night with the heat. The house is more than 40 years old and the windows are old and single pane."
62-year-old Von from Central Coast: "The heat is debilitating... Trying to sleep is unbelievable. I take cold showers in the middle of the night to cool down and use wet towels."

ACOSS Recommendations

Expand funding for energy upgrades to all 437,700 social housing properties by 2030
Prioritize First Nations housing for upgrades
Implement measures to help private renters and low-income homeowners
Provide debt relief for people in energy debt
Raise JobSeeker and related payments to lift people out of poverty

Electricity Prices Set to Rise Again in 2025-26

Australian Energy Regulator's Draft Determination

Residential increases: Prices expected to rise between 2.5% and 8.9%
Business impacts: Small business customers face rises between 4.2% and 8.2%
Regional variations: Price changes vary across NSW, South East Queensland, and South Australia

Factors Driving Price Increases

Wholesale market pressures: High demand, coal generator outages, and low renewable output
Network cost increases: Inflation and interest rates leading to higher rate of return
Retail cost growth: Rising costs reported by energy retailers

Consumer Advice

Most competitive offers now 19% to 25% below the current Default Market Offer price
AER Chair Clare Savage: "It's important that consumers regularly shop around to compare available deals"
Visit Energy Made Easy (www.energymadeeasy.gov.au) to compare offers
Contact your retailer immediately if struggling with bills
Check eligibility for rebates and concessions at www.energy.gov.au/rebates

American Influencer Faces Backlash Over Wildlife Incident

The Incident

American influencer Sam Jones posted footage of herself capturing a baby wombat
Video showed her catching a joey wombat and carrying it away from its mother
Footage has since been deleted following significant backlash

Official Responses

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke: Government reviewing her visa conditions
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: Called the incident an "outrage"
Wildlife experts: Veterinarian Tania Bishop described handling as potentially causing "serious injury"

Broader Conservation Issues

Dr. Meg Shaw, Research Fellow at Monash University: Social media normalizes harmful wildlife interactions
Approaching wildlife disrupts health, welfare, and breeding
Content showing human-wildlife interactions linked to increased demand for illegal pet trade
Photos of wildlife alone receive similar engagement to human-wildlife interaction content

Recommendations for Responsible Wildlife Content

Avoid posting selfies with wildlife
Take photos from a safe distance
Observe animals uninterrupted in their natural habitat
Support stronger social media regulations

Australia Excluded from US Steel Tariff Exemptions

Impact Assessment

25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports to the US
Regional Australian communities with concentrated production will feel employment impacts
Potential spillover effects in other markets where Australian producers operate

Australia's Strategic Response

Unlike Canada and Mexico, Australia has not implemented retaliatory tariffs
Strategic restraint preserves negotiating capital for potential agricultural tariffs
Current implementation differs from 2018 when Australia received an exemption

Expert Analysis

Dr. Susan Stone highlights the counterproductive nature of protectionist trade policies
Tariffs typically raise costs, increase prices, and create uncertainty
Australia's strategic value extends beyond trade balances to critical minerals and regional security

Policy Options

Domestic "buy Australian" campaigns for steel and aluminum
Leverage critical mineral resources as a reliable partner
Potentially file a WTO complaint without immediately implementing retaliatory measures

Russia Recaptures Key Town in Ukraine-Occupied Kursk Region

Strategic Developments

Town recaptured: Russian forces have recaptured Sudzha, the largest town Ukraine occupied in Russia's Kursk region
Symbolic victory: Despite its small population of about 5,000 people, it was one of the only populated towns still held by Ukraine
Military advancement: US-based Institute for the Study of War confirmed Russian forces seized Sudzha and advanced to settlements northwest
Territorial implications: Loss threatens Ukraine's sole territorial bargaining chip amid pressure for negotiations

Diplomatic Context

Ceasefire talks: US special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday
Proposal status: Ukraine has already accepted a 30-day US-backed ceasefire covering the entire frontline
US position: President Donald Trump stated that "the ball is now in Putin's court"

Leadership Activities

Putin's visit: Russian President made surprise visit to Kursk region on Wednesday
Military objectives: Putin told troops Moscow's goal is to "completely liberate" Kursk as soon as possible
Buffer zone proposal: Raised possibility of creating a "buffer zone" along Russia's border with Ukraine
Prisoner treatment: Stated Ukrainian soldiers captured in Kursk should be treated as "terrorists"

Ukrainian Response

Tactical adjustments: Ukraine's top general Oleksandr Syrskyi hinted at further tactical retreats
Priority on lives: Emphasized saving "the lives of Ukrainian soldiers" as the primary concern
Pressure acknowledgment: President Zelensky: "The Russians are clearly trying to put maximum pressure on our troops"

Conclusion

As these stories continue to develop, Readmencari remains committed to providing you with accurate, in-depth reporting on the issues that matter most to Australians and our global community. Subscribe to our newsletter for daily updates and analysis on these and other important topics.

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