Energy bill fears mount amid transmission cost blowout
Australia's Energy Market Operator reports overhead transmission line costs have surged by 55 per cent and substations by 35 per cent.
The rises are attributed, in part, to the decision to avoid 'particularly complex areas' as the Labor government attempts to win over rural communities in the transmission rollout.
A final price hike for 2025 to 2026 will be signed off by the energy regulator today.
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The Australian
25 minutes ago
- The Australian
Koonenberry Gold outlines emerging bulk tonnage gold play with high-grade potential at Sunnyside
Koonenberry drilling at Sunnyside prospect in NSW delivers 60m at 0.7g/t gold intersection Results from completed Phase 1 drill program indicate Sunnyside as an emerging bulk tonnage gold play Sunnyside Shear Zone shows potential for growth with ~2km prospective zone identified Special Report: Final assays from diamond drilling at Koonenberry Gold's Enmore project in New South Wales highlight the Sunnyside prospect as an emerging bulk tonnage play with high-grade potential. Latest results extend the mineralised zone to more than 260m with hole 25ENDD007, which was drilled 40m along strike from hole 006, returning a 60m intersection grading 0.7g/t gold from a down-hole depth of 105m including 9m at 2.74g/t from 112m. Adding further interest for Koonenberry Gold (ASX:KNB), holes 008 to 010 were potentially drilled beneath the up-plunge projection of mineralisation intersected to the east. This is highlighted in a long section, where the mineralisation has an apparent ~easterly plunge with gold mineralisation open up-plunge, along strike and at depth. There are indications of higher grades such as a 1m zone at 11.9g/t gold from 244m within the broader intersection of 6m at 2.58g/t gold from 243m in hole 25ENDD010. Managing director Dan Power said the 'extremely successful' phase 1 drill campaign at Enmore had delivered exceptional results that pointed to an emerging gold discovery story at Sunnyside, which had standalone bulk tonnage as well as high-grade gold potential. 'The final four holes all intersected altered granite host rock, however the reported intercepts have become narrower and lower grade to the SW,' he added. 'These holes are within the mineralised system but may have drilled 'underneath' or peripheral to the better grades and widths intersected in holes to the east and at depth. 'When plotted in long section, results indicate a potential plunge of the mineralisation along the shear zone towards the east with a high-grade zone of ~130m clearly open at depth.' He added that drilling had intersected mineralisation from surface to a vertical depth of 300m, strike of ~260m and true width of ~75m, with the system remaining open at depth and along strike to the southwest and northeast along the Sunnyside Shear Zone, and providing clear potential for growth. 'To the east of Sunnyside, we see the potential for extensions and/or repetitions with gold and arsenic in soils and high-grade rock chips highlighting a ~2km long prospective zone along the shear at the contact between the granite and sediments,' Power noted. 'Limited, wide-spaced and relatively shallow historical drilling in this location also highlights the potential for additional discoveries, with most of these holes intersecting anomalous gold but rarely testing broad intervals of the preferred granite host rock.' Enmore project The 302km2 Enmore project sits within the underexplored New England Gold Belt, which hosts the 1.7Moz gold-antimony Hillgrove mine, the 8Moz Ravenswood gold mine, the 7.7Moz gold and 0.36Mt copper Mt Morgan mine and the 2.5Moz Cracow gold mine. While results from Sunnyside have really underscored its potential, it is far from being the only prospect of interest, with the Borah fault hosting historical high-grade intersections, while historical workings are present at Sherwood, Queen of Sheba and Lone Hand. Small wonder then that the company is using today's results to plan more than 10,000m of further drilling that will be funded from its existing cash position of $8.6m. This follow-up drilling is anticipated to start in late August and will test the continuity and extensions to mineralisation at Sunnyside as well as discovery and growth drilling along the Sunnyside Shear Zone. Growth drilling will focus on the east of the Shear Zone where KNB has identified a ~2km strike length of highly prospective granite associated with gold and arsenic soil anomalies, high-grade rock chips and wide-spaced, relatively shallow historical drilling containing anomalous gold. Induced polarisation surveys are being conducted at Sunnyside as a tool to help rank district targets and assist with drill targeting. This article was developed in collaboration with Koonenberry Gold, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions. Sponsored Nova Minerals has released a conceptual processing flowsheet for its 1.24Moz RPM deposit in Alaska. Sponsored Rhythm Biosciences has announced that its second-generation ColoSTAT blood test detects colorectal cancer consistently across all stages of the disease.
The Australian
an hour ago
- The Australian
ASX200: Gold the bright spot on flat day for local markets
Shaky US jobs data and the subsequent sacking of the labour statistics chief has seen investors flocking to Australian gold stocks on Monday. While the ASX200 closed up by the barest of margins on Monday, the gold index benchmark grew 3.5 per cent to start the week. At the close of trade, strong consumer staples and materials sectors had dragged the S&P/ASX200 to a 0.02 per cent gain, closing up 1.7 points to 8663.7. The All Ords rose 0.06 per cent. Gold shares were the shimmering highlight on the day, with the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold benchmark gaining 3.57 per cent. Western Australian, Northern Territory and Alaskan operator Northern Star Resources – up 13 per cent on the year – tacked on another 5.6 per cent gain ($16.16) following the presentation of details from a site visit in Kalgoorlie. The inland city is hosting the Diggers and Dealers mining forum this week, and the historic town will be heaving following Monday's sterling gold results. Bellevue Gold shot up 6.4 per cent ($0.82), Mineral Resources' price lifted 3 per cent ($30.76), and Evolution Mining rose 2.5 per cent ($7.23). Evolution Mining boss Lawrie Conway warned the Kalgoorlie conference that boom cycles had been squandered before. 'As an industry, we have been poor allocators of capital through these periods of record margins,' he said on Monday. The gold price has risen $1000 in the space of four months. 'It's imperative for us … when the cycle turns, our shareholders aren't left looking and saying, 'Where is the cash?',' Mr Conway said. Across the border, the Whyalla steelworks and its associated iron ore mines are the target of a potential offer from Bluescope Steel and an international consortium. That news pushed Bluescope's share price down 1.2 per cent, closing at $23.10. The surge in gold has been ignited and sustained by rumblings in the US. Underwhelming jobs data at the end of their week prompted Donald Trump to sack the Bureau of Labor Statistics chief, sowing doubt in US economic data. 'The dire US jobs report raised expectations of a Fed rate cut in September and prompted risk aversion flows, including buying of gold,' said IG market analyst Tony Sycamore. 'The rebound from the $US3265 support zone suggests gold is consolidating gains from the first half of this year in a range between $US3450 and $US3250.' After an eight-month high a couple of weeks ago, the Aussie dollar has settled at 64.8 US cents. Trailing the materials sector at the top of the heap, consumer staples also had a bountiful day. This charge was led by gains for Coles (1.7 per cent) and Woolworths (1.3 per cent). In lock-step, health and wellness food company OMG Group shot to a 7 per cent gain ($0.008), while Farm Pride Foods, Pure Foods Tasmania, Synlait Milk and Ricegrowers Ltd all rose more than 3.6 per cent. From the farmgate to the bar stool, pub and hospitality giant Endeavour Group surged to a 2.9 per cent gain on the news its dual chairman-chief executive was quitting over board disagreements. Endeavour owns Dan Murphy's and BWS. The company already lined up former Virgin Australia chief executive, Jayne Hrdlicka, to take charge in the new year. Despite Monday's bump, Endeavour shares are down 23 per cent on this time last year. With an essentially flat day in local trading, six of 11 sectors finished in the red, with financials, energy and industrials being the dead weight. Blair's journalism career has taken him from Perth, to New Zealand, Queensland and now Melbourne. Business Breaking News One of the country's key water agencies is axing nearly a quarter of its workforce, blindsiding employees and drawing union backlash. Business Breaking News Australia's biggest food retailers say they are not interested in buying beef from the US and will stick to their homegrown approach.
The Australian
an hour ago
- The Australian
AI can future-proof infrastructure against natural disasters
Natural disasters are becoming more frequent, more intense, and more costly. AI could be our best defence — but only if we know how to use it wisely. A recent Deloitte report, AI for Infrastructure Resilience, warns that by 2050, the world could face up to the equivalent of $A705 billion in annual infrastructure damage from climate-related events. However, with smart implementation and timely action, AI could help prevent up to 15 per cent of these losses. The urgency is especially clear in Australia. From bushfires and floods to coastal storm surges, extreme weather is already taking a toll on communities and critical infrastructure. As the government prepares to deliver a $120 billion infrastructure investment pipeline over the next decade, resilience can't be an afterthought — it needs to be embedded at every stage of the lifecycle. That's where AI comes in. When applied strategically through each stage of the infrastructure lifecycle, from planning to response and recovery, AI has the potential to radically strengthen infrastructure systems. In the design phase, for example, AI-powered digital twins enable planners to simulate climate scenarios and assess vulnerabilities to proactively prevent infrastructure failures. Lisbon is already leading the way. The city used AI-enhanced modelling to simulate long-term flood risks and built a highly resilient drainage system designed to handle future climate conditions — helping to mitigate up to 20 floods over the next century. This is the kind of forward-looking approach Australia and other climate-exposed countries can learn from. During a disaster, AI also plays a critical role. Advanced early warning systems (EWS), powered by real-time data and AI, can detect wildfires, floods and other hazards earlier and more accurately. According to the Australian National University, faster bushfire detection could help avoid between $A150 million and $A460 million in direct losses each year, depending on detection and response times. Faster detection also reduces knock-on effects. The longer a fire burns undetected, the more it spreads — compounding the damage and increasing risks to human health from prolonged smoke exposure. AI can help contain these risks sooner, leading to better outcomes for people, ecosystems and public health systems alike. AI's value doesn't stop when the emergency ends. In the post-disaster phase, AI can be applied to accelerate recovery. AI systems analyse satellite imagery and sensor data to pinpoint damage hotspots, prioritise repair efforts, and guide decision-making in real time. By enabling faster, more targeted responses, it helps communities rebuild stronger and faster, and ensures limited resources are deployed where they're needed most. But as powerful as AI is, unlocking its full potential requires bold leadership and the removal of practical barriers like legacy infrastructure, regulatory gaps and financial constraints. Policymakers have a pivotal role to play here. With AI evolving rapidly, regulatory frameworks must be flexible enough to keep pace. Prescriptive rules won't work in an environment where use cases are still emerging, and risks continue to evolve. Principles-based, flexible AI policy can provide the guardrails to foster innovation while ensuring safety, privacy, and trust. Infrastructure owners and operators also need to take the lead — but not by rushing into large-scale AI overhauls. Instead, starting with targeted, high-impact projects like predictive maintenance, asset management improvements, or faster emergency response creates room to test, learn, and scale successful solutions. Much of AI's potential hinges on the systems beneath the surface. Many legacy infrastructures lack the flexibility needed for real-time data, cross-platform integration, and AI interoperability. Upgrading to modular, adaptable IT frameworks is essential to unlock smarter, more resilient operations across the entire infrastructure landscape. The financial sector and insurers share a key role in advancing AI-enabled infrastructure. Innovative financing tools like resilience bonds and targeted credit lines can unlock funding for these projects. At the same time, insurers can integrate AI into their offerings — creating products for AI-enabled assets, offering premium reductions for systems that help integrate trusted AI solutions, and improving risk models through advanced analytics. Together, they reduce investment risks, encourage AI adoption, and build more climate-resilient portfolios. Behind it all are the technology providers themselves — the engine room of AI innovation. Their role goes well beyond algorithms. To make a measurable difference, they'll need to deliver integrated, scalable solutions that combine AI with other critical technologies, like the Internet of Things and digital twins. Ultimately, this isn't just about rebuilding after disasters. It's about fundamentally rethinking how we prepare for them. If we want to protect lives, preserve ecosystems, and maintain the critical systems our society depends on, we can't afford to wait. By applying AI to our infrastructure ecosystems today, we can not only reduce risk but actively build smarter, stronger, and more resilient communities ready to face a future that's anything but predictable. Luke Houghton is Deloitte Australia Partner and National Leader, Infrastructure Sector. - Disclaimer This publication contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional adviser. Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication. About Deloitte Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ('DTTL'), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. Please see to learn more. Copyright © 2025 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. - Read related topics: Climate Change
