The Superpower Institute

If you are interested in climate mitigation in Australia, this conference, which focuses on the opportunities to reduce methane emissions, might be of interest to you. See information and registration. https://lnkd.in/eWCn5FKk

"Anyone who thinks the transition can be paid for out of general revenue is not paying attention to the budget the Treasurer handed down tonight." As Rod Sims argues, the recent Federal Budget has reinforced why a price on pollution is now unavoidable. Australia simple does not have the fiscal capacity to fund the energy transition at the pace and scale required through general revenue alone. A price on pollution would do two things at once: it would send the market signal needed to crowd in private investment, and it would raise the revenue needed to fund the transition and compensate households for cost increases. Read TSI’s full response to the 2026 Federal Budget: https://lnkd.in/gen9SXNd 

Methane is a significant contributor to global warming, yet understanding of Australia's emissions remains uneven. Over two days in June, FRAME – the Forum for Reducing Australia's Methane Emissions – will bring together expertise from across research, industry and policy to examine methane measurement and abatement, and support stronger cross-sector understanding. Convened by CSIRO, Open Methane, and The Superpower Institute, the conference will be held at CSIRO Black Mountain in Canberra, with options to attend in person or online. Register your interest: https://lnkd.in/gbQdFvxf

Tonight’s Federal Budget shows that reforms once thought untouchable can be revisited. The Superpower Institute welcomes the Budget’s focus on intergenerational fairness, tax reform and energy security. But the same seriousness should now be applied to the reforms that will determine Australia’s long-term economic future: pricing carbon pollution, securing a fair return for Australians from gas resources, and unlocking the clean industries that can power future prosperity. Read TSI’s response to the 2026 Federal Budget: https://lnkd.in/gen9SXNd

I’ll be making my Budget lockup debut this afternoon in Canberra. Two themes that stand out to me ahead of digging into the papers: 1. The government appears to be ready to embrace some tricky reforms that have been thought impossible until recently. Such an approach would be welcome across a range of policy areas. 2. A recognition of intergenerational equity as a priority, with a growing cohort of younger voters, is logical both on principle and politics. Again, if this is a new theme in government policy it will be welcome. More from me on these points later!

The Superpower Institute is inviting applications for our 2026 Winter Internship Program. The program offers late-stage university students and recent graduates the opportunity to contribute to short research projects in areas such as green exports, clean trade and trade-partner policy. Interns will be hosted for 6–8 weeks between June and August. We welcome applicants from a range of disciplines, including economics, politics, international relations, engineering and environmental sciences. Applications are open until 22 May 2026. See the TSI website for more details: https://lnkd.in/g68i3YZq

The Superpower Institute is launching Progressing Clean Trade Opportunities, a major new program to support the development of emerging clean industrial value chains across the Asia-Pacific. The program, led by Joanna Kay, will bring together government, industry and international partners to identify bankable projects, strengthen Australia's trade and diplomatic engagement, and support early-mover opportunities in global clean export markets. Over the next year, TSI will convene regional dialogues with partners in South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, China and India. These dialogues will focus on practical opportunities for clean trade and industrial collaboration, and on where shared interests can become real projects: green iron and steel, low-emissions commodities, clean energy supply chains, and the infrastructure, finance and policy settings needed to support them. This work is grounded in a collaborative approach that recognises the distinct strengths and priorities of partner countries. It will focus on shared opportunities in clean energy, low-emissions commodities and industrial transformation, and on practical ways to turn those opportunities into real investment that supports regional growth and emissions reduction in parallel. The first dialogue, with partners in South Korea in May, will examine the potential for a Korea–Australia green industrial corridor: linking Australia's renewable energy and resource base with Korea's advanced industrial economy in a way that supports growth and decarbonisation in both countries. We look forward to working with partners across the region on this exciting initiative.

Methane is a significant contributor to global warming, yet understanding of Australia's emissions remains uneven. Over two days in June, FRAME – the Forum for Reducing Australia's Methane Emissions – will bring together expertise from across research, industry and policy to examine methane measurement and abatement, and support stronger cross-sector understanding. Convened by CSIRO, Open Methane, and The Superpower Institute, the conference will be held at CSIRO Black Mountain in Canberra, with options to attend in person or online. Register your interest: https://lnkd.in/gbQdFvxf