Powerlines by Chris Uhlmann

About Powerlines by Chris Uhlmann

Powerlines is about power, politics and passions. Join us as we explore the forces that drive our economy and the ideas that define our time. Life begins with energy. Without it, nothing grows. In human affairs, energy is the economy. Without cheap, reliable energy, nothing functions. Our economy is not a set of numbers. It is a moral project—a living network of human exchange: people trading, building, and solving problems together. Politics should keep this body alive, fair, and free. It should encourage individuals, families, and businesses to advance the common good. We believe our society has succeeded because it stands on the firm foundations of our inherited Western democratic tradition. We believe those foundations are under assault—from within and without. Powerlines exists to defend the best of our heritage and to promote its renewal. We are pro-human, pro-family, and pro-business. We deal in real-world problems and seek real-world solutions. We believe in free speech and the power of ideas. We aim to entertain and provoke—but never patronise. We will present news and views as honestly and accurately as we can. Our voice is Australian. Our canvas is the world. www.powerlines.au (https://www.powerlines.au?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

People. Power. Politics. Passion.

Category

news · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 Mar 2025

Latest episode

5 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

32 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   5 Sept 2026

   The Renewable Energy Clash: Are Regional Communities Bearing the Cost of Australia’s Green Transition?

   Australia’s renewable energy transition is becoming increasingly difficult to separate from the communities expected to host it. In this News24 discussion, the debate turns to the growing tensions surrounding large-scale wind, solar and transmission projects across regional Australia. While some farmers who host renewable infrastructure see the benefits and believe it can coexist with agriculture, others argue that the rapid rollout is creating division, placing significant pressure on rural communities and leaving those outside the projects with little say. At the centre of the discussion is Climate Change Authority Chair Matt Kean, who is challenged over the pace and scale of the transition, the amount of land required for new infrastructure and, most importantly, what it means for Australian households facing rising electricity costs. The argument raises a bigger question about Australia’s energy policy: can the country deliver the transition it has committed to while maintaining affordable power and keeping regional communities onside? It is a debate that is only going to become more important as the rollout accelerates.Video owned by News24 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.powerlines.au (https://www.powerlines.au?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

2. 

   18 Aug 2026

   The Energy Transition's Hidden Cost Transfer Nobody Talks About

   Energy policy is being sold as a simple transition, but the reality is a messy fight over costs, fairness, and who gets left holding the bill. Ben Beattie sits down with Gavin Dufty, National Energy Director at St Vincent de Paul and board member of Energy Consumers Australia, to unpack the hidden machinery behind Australia’s electricity and gas systems and why so many people feel the rules are working against them.Gavin pushes back on the idea that rooftop solar, home batteries, and new consumer energy tech are a free win. He explains how subsidies, fixed network costs, and pricing structures can quietly shift costs onto renters, younger households, and people without the luxury of putting kit on their roof. Ben brings a skeptical engineer’s eye to the conversation, challenging the bureaucracy, the regulators, and the central planning logic behind the current transition.You’ll discover: * Why “prosumers” are no longer just consumers, and why that matters for network pricing * How the bill stack actually works, from wholesale energy to transmission, distribution, retail, and GST * Why fixed costs are becoming the real battleground as more households export power * What the tariff tracker reveals about retail pricing, default market offers, and the end of big feed-in tariff returns * Why smart meters, demand management, and home batteries could reshape the market faster than most people expect Gavin also breaks down the coming wall of transmission costs, the changing economics of gas in Victoria, and the awkward reality of network decline, accelerated depreciation, and service exits that can leave households and businesses scrambling. Along the way, he explains why the system may be less about ideology than about hard trade-offs - and why pretending those trade-offs do not exist is making the politics worse.If you want a plain-English, no-spin conversation about why energy is getting more expensive, why the transition is harder than the headlines suggest, and where the real pressure points are in Australia’s grid, this episode is essential listening. Ben Beattie is an engineer and host ofPower Lines, bringing a skeptical, policy-focused lens to Australia’s energy debate. Gavin Dufty is National Energy Director, Policy and Research at St Vincent de Paul and a board member of Energy Consumers Australia, known for his work on consumer energy costs, market design, and the tariff tracker. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.powerlines.au (https://www.powerlines.au?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

3. 

   6 Aug 2026

   What nobody's telling you about renewables and prices

   There’s a lot of talk about renewables being cheap and reliable, but much of what’s presented is misleading, especially when it comes to Australia’s energy policies and the costs they’re hiding. This piece breaks down the assumptions behind the “green transition,” the real-world costs of batteries and transmission, and why rising energy bills are already telling a different story. It also asks a bigger question: who really pays when policy promises outpace reality? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.powerlines.au (https://www.powerlines.au?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

Who has been a guest on Powerlines by Chris Uhlmann

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dr Oleksandra Molloy
• Peter Jennings
• Joe Hockey
• Samantha McCulloch
• David Pearl

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 17 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

33

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

Contact Powerlines by Chris Uhlmann

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Powerlines by Chris Uhlmann