Latest news with #AustralianEnergyRegulator
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Government contracts are golden, and these ASX tech stocks are raking it in
TechnologyOne becomes Canberra's digital backbone 'Buy Australian Plan' aims to make it easier to land a public sector contract ASX tech stocks with signed government deals The third largest technology stock on the ASX, Technology One (ASX:TNE), is becoming the go-to IT backbone for governments across Australia. In its half-year deck released to the market last week, TNE reported that more than half (53%) of its revenue came from governments. With more than 230 departments and agencies already on board, the company has indeed stitched itself deep into the public sector. Recent wins include a major contract with the Australian Energy Regulator, and a $5.6 million deal with the ACT government to overhaul its development application system. So why do governments keep signing up? Well, because TechOne offers a no-fuss, fixed-fee SaaS+ model that delivers software, upgrades and support in one clean annual bill. No cost blowouts, no army of consultants, just results. Headquartered in Brisbane, TNE builds enterprise software that helps governments, councils and universities run their finances, payroll, HR, and procurement. Think of the company as the digital plumbing that keeps public services humming. In its presentation deck, TNE also said it was planning to double in size every five years. Buy Australian Plan For tech companies – especially the smaller caps – a government contract is a bit like landing a Fortune 500 client, only with steadier legs. It might not always be fast or flashy, but the revenue tends to stick around, and payment's generally reliable. A government contract could provide a stable, long-term, and recurring income for a tech company. Sure, it might take a while to get through the red tape, but once you're in, you've got a customer who doesn't ghost you when markets wobble (well, not usually anyway). Now the Australian government wants to make those contracts more accessible. Under the new 'Buy Australian Plan', Canberra is putting its money where its mouth is, using its huge buying power to back local operators, not offshore giants. The plan is all about making it easier for small businesses, First Nations companies and regional outfits to land government work without getting buried in red tape. That means clearer rules, simpler tenders, faster payments and shutting the door on tax dodgers. There's also a new Procurement Capability Branch under the plan, which will help Aussie businesses go toe-to-toe for contracts. Tech/biotechs with government deals Several ASX-listed tech and biotech names have either locked in government contracts or are being officially linked to key programs. Here are some notable examples: Macquarie Technology Group (ASX:MAQ) MAQ is one company the Aussie government seriously trusts. Around 42% of federal government agencies reportedly use MAQ's services through its Macquarie Government division. The company's Australian data centres are all Certified Strategic, meaning they're cleared to handle top-secret workloads and built to meet the toughest security standards in the country. DroneShield (ASX:DRO) DroneShield has been securing notable contracts with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and other government agencies. In 2023, the company was awarded a $10 million Electronic Warfare contract by the Australian government, following the successful completion of a prior $3.8 million contract. Additionally, DroneShield received a $9.9 million two-year research and development contract from a Department of Defence within the Five Eyes alliance. In 2025, the company scored a $32.2 million deal via a local reseller tied to a global defence giant, with all gear heading to a major Asia-Pacific military force. Harvest Technology Group (ASX:HTG) Back in mid-2023, Harvest landed its first defence contract with a Five Eyes customer for its Nodestream technology. Nodestream helps stream high-quality video and data even in super low-bandwidth or remote environments. This tech could be used for critical defence applications involving surveillance and remote communications. It was a big step for HTG, marking the start of a potentially long-term relationship. Fast forward to early 2024, and HTG announced a follow-up – not just one, but two more orders from the same customer. The company also had other wins, including orders from the European Union Defence Force and new UK-based offshore contractors, plus a successful drone trial with Japan's Self-Defence Force. WhiteHawk (ASX:WHK) In early 2025, WhiteHawk was selected as the exclusive cyber risk partner on the US General Services Administration's SCRIPTS program. This is a 10-year, US$920 million contract vehicle focused on supply chain risk management across federal agencies. Teaming up with Knexus Research, Babel Street, and Dun & Bradstreet, WhiteHawk will provide AI-driven cyber analytics to help US agencies detect and mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities. In Australia, WhiteHawk is gradually expanding its footprint. In July 2024, the company secured a cybersecurity contract with Tabcorp. Micro-X (ASX:MX1) In February, Micro-X scored a $6 million contract extension from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to keep building its self-screening airport checkpoints. It's part of a bigger deal worth up to US$14 million, and this next stage funds two more units and a full round of testing over the next 16 months. If things go well, DHS could tip in another $7.5 million to take the system all the way to live airport trials with real passengers. Micro-X was also awarded up to US$16.4 million by the US Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop a world-first portable full-body CT scanner. The project leverages Micro-X's proprietary Nano Electronic X-ray (NEX) technology to create a lightweight CT scanner, approximately 225 kilograms, significantly lighter than conventional models exceeding 2000 kilograms. HiTech Group Australia (ASX:HIT) HiTech isn't your average recruiter, the company's been in the game over 30 years, quietly supplying top-shelf IT talent to more than 43 federal government departments across Australia. From Defence to Home Affairs, HIT is trusted to scout for and deliver security-cleared tech brains. As a DISP-accredited outfit, the company has practically got the keys to Canberra's back office, helping plug skill gaps in everything from IT and finance to project support. Audeara (ASX:AUA) While not holding direct government contracts per se, Audeara's headphones are officially approved as assistive listening devices under the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme), DVA (Department of Veterans' Affairs), and the Hearing Services Program. This means the Australian government might help cover the cost if your hearing needs a boost. NDIS participants can claim them as low-cost assistive tech, DVA veterans can get them through the rehab appliance scheme, and under HSP, they're listed as fully subsidised alternatives. At Stockhead we tell it like it is. While Audeara and Harvest Technology are Stockhead advertisers, they did not sponsor this article.
Epoch Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Epoch Times
Albanese Says Australia Must Deal With ‘Climate Change' as Power Prices Increase
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pushed the need for Australians to deal with climate change amid higher electricity prices and natural disasters. This came after it was revealed that Australian households would face electricity price hikes of up to 10 percent in the future. When questioned if Australians are paying higher power bills partly due to the shift to renewables, Albanese said, 'Well, we know that we have to deal with the challenge of climate change.' The prime minister added that people who question the science need to 'have a look at what's going on, not just here but in the world.' Albanese had been warning that we are seeing 'more extreme weather events' amid the New South Wales floods. 'Australia is particularly vulnerable, and the science told us that that was the case, which is why we have a responsibility, in my view, not just to take action domestically, but to be a part of global action as well,' he said during a press conference in Canberra. Related Stories 6/7/2024 5/9/2024 The prime minister clarified that not every weather incident was linked to climate change. 'We've always had floods and droughts in Australia—always had that. But what we do know is that they are more frequent and they are more intense,' he said. His comments came after it was revealed that electricity prices in New South Wales could surge by 7.9 to 9.7 percent from July 1. In other states, price hikes will be limited to between 0.5 and 3.7 percent, after the Australian Energy Regulator unveiled its Reliable Backup Needed As the Labor government leans heavily towards renewable energy, Albanese conceded there is a need for reliable backup when asked how any approval of the North West Shelf extension could be justified. The project has been supplying natural gas to Western Australians for 40 years, and the extension is regarding the environmental approval of the ongoing project beyond 2030. 'You can't have renewables unless you have firming capacity. Simple as that. You don't change a transition through warm thoughts,' Albanese said. 'You do it through a concrete proposal, which is the expansion of renewables up to 82 percent of the grid. But the way that that occurs is it needs firming capacity to occur.' To reinforce his argument about the need for firming capacity, Albanese pointed to the Tomago aluminium smelter in the Hunter Valley. 'They're moving to renewables, but they're moving to renewables backed with firming capacity. That is how they have the confidence to be able to do so,' he said. Liberals and Nationals Debate Nuclear and Net Zero Ahead of the election, Labor promised to achieve 82 percent renewables by 2030. In their first term of government, they legislated the Meanwhile, the Coalition have been debating the need for nuclear energy to remain in the energy mix post-election. The National Party called on the Liberal Party to leave the door open on nuclear power for the two parties to work together as a Coalition. However, views within the Liberal Party are mixed. On Four Corners, Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie said nuclear should be part of the energy mix, while moderate Senator Maria Kovacic agreed with dumping the nuclear policy. Others want to see net zero abandoned entirely. Liberal Senator Alex Antic recently called for the Liberal party to 'dump net zero' in order to appeal to the electorate. 'I've never had any time for the net zero concept, I think it's completely flawed, I think it's detrimental to our country, and it's detrimental to our sovereign interests,' he Nationals leader David Littleproud is leaving the door open on net zero but revealed it would be up for review in this term of parliament, along with other policies. 'I think we've got to understand that the world is finding it increasingly more difficult to achieve net zero by 2050, and there's a serious economic impact,' he told Sky News Australia on May 26.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
How much will power prices increase by next financial year? That depends on where you live
The Australian Energy Regulator's (AER) latest decision is set to see power prices rise for many people in three states. It announced what's called a Default Market Offer for the next financial year. Here's what it means for people in those three states — and what people in the rest of the country can expect. What's a default market offer? It's a cap electricity retailers can charge for power prices. Electricity retailers are the individual companies that sell power to homes and businesses — the company that sends you your power bill. But they don't generate the power they sell; they buy it from the wholesale market. The AER's default market offer (DMO) limits how much the retailers can increase their prices by to recoup their increasing costs. These companies might offer a range of different contracts or plans for power prices. But customers will typically be on a company's default plan unless they contact their energy provider and actively choose a different plan. DMO is a cap on how much companies can charge for that basic, automatic plan each year. "When advertising or promoting offer pricing, retailers must show the price of their offer in comparison to the DMO/reference price," the AER says. "This assists customers when comparing the price of different offers" The regulator officially announced the 2025-26 DMO yesterday, reigniting conversations about power prices and the rising cost of living. Does this apply to all states? No. While the AER sounds like it should be a national body, it only covers two-and-a-bit states: New South Wales New South Wales South Australia South Australia South-east Queensland "The DMO price does not apply in the ACT, Northern Territory, regional Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria or Western Australia because maximum standing offer prices in those regions are set by or under a law of a state or territory," the AER says. How much will my power bills go up by? That depends on which state you're in, which power company you go with and what plan you're on. So we can't give a definitive answer on that — but, by looking at the DMO figures, we can give you a general idea for the three states covered by the AER. Let's break it down state-by-state: Price changes will depend on where you live. That's because there's a cap for each distribution network, which is the system of power poles and wires that connect your place with power. Distribution networks are locationally specific, so you can't choose what distributor connects your place to power. Distributors are different to retailers, who just sell you power. There are three electricity distributors operating in the state: Most of regional NSW is on the Essential Energy network, which covers about 95 per cent of the state. AusGrid's area spans across Sydney, the Central Coast and Hunter regions. And Endeavour Energy Sydney's Greater West, the Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands and the Illawarra, and the South Coast. Residential customers without a controlled load*: Ausgrid distribution region: Increase by $155 Increase by $155 Endeavour Energy distribution region: Increase by $188 Increase by $188 Essential Energy distribution region: Increase by $228 Residential customers with controlled load*: Ausgrid distribution region: Increase by $208 Increase by $208 Endeavour Energy distribution region: Increase by $271 Increase by $271 Essential Energy distribution region: Increase by $280 * An example of a controlled load is metering for a specific device that can use off-peak power, like underfloor heating or off-peak hot water South Australia Residential customers without a controlled load*: Increase by $71 Increase by $71 Residential customers with controlled load*: Increase by $64 * An example of a controlled load is metering for a specific device that can use off-peak power, like underfloor heating or off-peak hot water South-east Queensland Residential customers without a controlled load*: Increase by $77 Increase by $77 Residential customers with controlled load*: Increase by $11 * An example of a controlled load is metering for a specific device that can use off-peak power, like underfloor heating or off-peak hot water When will these prices kick in? The DMO prices don't come into affect until the new financial year — so not until July 1. What about the rest of the country? Caps in the ACT are set by theIndependent Competition and Regulatory Commission. In a report also published on Monday, the commission estimated how much extra certain households would pay. Here's how much more the commission reckons people will pay: Small household: Annual increase of $125 Annual increase of $125 Average household: Annual increase of $214 Annual increase of $214 Large family household: Annual increase of $247 Northern Territory The Northern Territory's version of the AER is the Electricity Pricing Order. It sets regulated prices for retail customers consuming less than 750 MWh of electricity each year. This figure is generally the territory's treasurer, but you can find out more about it from the Utilities Commission of the Northern Territory. The commission's website only features the order currently in place, so it's unclear what changes people in the Northern Territory can expect to see on their bills yet. Tasmania Tasmania's version of the DMO is generally referred to as a standing offer. And this is set by the Office of the Tasmanian Economic Regulator. Residential bills for average customers would increase by about $49 per year for 2025-26, the regulator said earlier this month. At the moment, Aurora Energy is the only retailer required to offer standard retail contracts. "These regulated prices provide a safety net for small customers," the regulator said in its final report. "Standing offer prices are particularly important in Tasmania, with approximately 91 per cent of all Tasmanian small customers on a regulated tariff with Aurora Energy as at 31 December 2024." The rest of Queensland While the south-east corner of Queensland is covered by the AER, the rest of the sunshine state is covered by the The Queensland Competition Authority QCA. The CQA's final determination isn't out yet, but we have looked at its draft determination published in March. At the time, it said typical customers on the main residential tariff (tariff 11) could expect to pay about an extra $100annually in the coming financial year. Victoria Victoria's energy regulator the Essential Services Commission (ESC) has a similar cap, called the Victorian Default Offer. It was also published on Monday. The ESC said the statewide annual average increase would be $20. However, here's a breakdown according to the five distribution zones: AusNet: Increase by $6 Increase by $6 CitiPower: Increase by $90 Increase by $90 Jemena: Decrease by $26 Decrease by $26 Powercor: Increase by $4 Increase by $4 United Energy: Increase by $25 Western Australia The West Australian government determines household prices each year when handing down the state budget. This year, that won't happen until June 19. How can I get a better deal? For people in areas with multiple power companies, the general advice is to see what prices other companies are offering. If you find a price that's cheaper than what you're paying, ask the company you're currently with if they'll match this price. Then consider whether you'll stay with the company you're already with, or go with another company. But not everyone can choose their energy providers —here's more from ABC's climate reporting team on that: Posted 11m ago 11 minutes ago Tue 27 May 2025 at 2:32am
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Energy price increases from July 1
New South Wales households are set to experience power price increases of up to 9.1 per cent from July 1. Queensland prices are expected to inflate by four per cent, three per cent in South Australia and up one per cent in Victoria. The Australian Energy Regulator is attributing the higher rates to a rise in wholesale energy prices. There are fears a failure to hit the 82 per cent renewable target by 2030 could contribute to annual price hikes.
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Brisbane news live: SEQ electricity prices to rise by up to 3.7 per cent
Go to latest SEQ electricity prices to rise by up to 3.7 per cent By Households will be hit with higher power bills from July 1 after the market regulator handed down its latest round of annual price setting. Price caps will rise for customers by between 0.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent in south-east Queensland, under a determination from the Australian Energy Regulator. South-east Queensland provider Energex is in the middle of the pack when it comes to annual bills. Loading The price spikes have been driven by higher costs in the electricity grid over the past year, which in turn were due to breakdowns at coal-fired power plants, elevated fossil fuel prices and rising costs for network infrastructure. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is doubling down on his ambitious renewable energy plans, declaring it the cheapest new source of power, while the federal Coalition brawls over emissions targets and its commitment to build nuclear energy instead of wind and solar farms. Queensland's LNP government has put renewable energy projects under closer scrutiny, recently approving two wind farms but blocking another. Latest posts 7.22am Queensland Heritage Council responds to LNP's Olympic override By Sean Parnell The Queensland Heritage Council has urged the Crisafulli government to tread carefully in its plans for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Loading The government has moved to override heritage and other planning restrictions to deliver Games venues, including in Victoria Park where the environment department recently recommended a heritage listing be expanded. In a submission to a parliamentary committee inquiry into the planned override, Queensland Heritage Council chair Stuart Lummis urged the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority engage experts. 'Delivering a world-class legacy from the Games does not have to occur through diminished heritage outcomes,' Lummis wrote. 'There are numerous examples in Queensland and elsewhere of large-scale development that has respectfully retained and integrated heritage places through design excellence and sensitive adaptation, while conserving their significance. 7.15am SEQ electricity prices to rise by up to 3.7 per cent By Mike Foley Households will be hit with higher power bills from July 1 after the market regulator handed down its latest round of annual price setting. Price caps will rise for customers by between 0.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent in south-east Queensland, under a determination from the Australian Energy Regulator. South-east Queensland provider Energex is in the middle of the pack when it comes to annual bills. Loading The price spikes have been driven by higher costs in the electricity grid over the past year, which in turn were due to breakdowns at coal-fired power plants, elevated fossil fuel prices and rising costs for network infrastructure. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is doubling down on his ambitious renewable energy plans, declaring it the cheapest new source of power, while the federal Coalition brawls over emissions targets and its commitment to build nuclear energy instead of wind and solar farms. Queensland's LNP government has put renewable energy projects under closer scrutiny, recently approving two wind farms but blocking another. 7.07am The weather this week In what feels like unseasonal weather, the mercury is expected to reach almost 30 degrees in Brisbane today, on a cloudy Tuesday. From tomorrow, however, temperatures for the rest of the week will plunge back down into more typical late-Autumn territory. Here's a look at today's weather, and the seven days to come. 7.04am While you were sleeping Here's what's making news further afield this morning: Health Minister Mark Butler wants significant attention paid to discovering why the rate of informal votes has almost tripled in hospitals and aged care centres as it potentially affects the results of closely contested electorates. Australian oil and gas giant Woodside Energy has pointed to crippling blackouts that left millions without electricity across Europe last month as a 'forceful reminder' for the Albanese government to prioritise energy security alongside goals to switch to cleaner sources of power. Donald Trump has inflicted deep damage to three of the unique sources of American superpower, writes Peter Hartcher. 'And he's on the very brink of shattering a fourth.' A car has ploughed into a crowd of Liverpool fans during a parade celebrating their side's Premier League soccer title, and police arrested a 53-year-old British man. They were just play fighting. That was French President Emmanuel Macron's explanation for video images that showed his wife, Brigitte, pushing her husband away with both hands on his face before they disembarked from their plane. American surfer Griffin Colapinto has described a ride which included a spectacular aerial and earned a perfect 10 score at Margaret River as one of the 'most incredible moments of my life'. 6.31am The top stories this morning Good morning, and welcome to Brisbane Times' live news coverage for Tuesday, May 27. Today we can expect a partly cloudy day and a top temperature of 29 degrees. In this morning's local headlines: The Morningside School of Arts building has been brought back from the brink of ruin, but its trustees say it needs a large injection of funds if it's to survive past its 100th birthday in 2026. A Queensland-born businessman has been identified as the Australian accused of accepting a 1.7 kilogram haul of cocaine in Bali for a promised reward of just $4700.
