Energy Futures: It’s time for a longer-term view on delivering the great energy transition

Australia’s commitment to the Paris Agreement means cutting carbon emissions to near zero over the next 30 years. Doing this at reasonable cost while maintaining reliability will require reforms and investment unprecedented in scale and complexity. Yet, recent history raises concerns that we need new foundations to underpin the policy reform agenda.

The next public forum in the Energy Future series, hosted by Melbourne Energy Institute and Grattan institute, will focus on this issue. Join our panel of Chloe Munro, Richard Bolt and Tony Wood for what will be a stimulating session, moderated by the ABC’s Madeleine Morris, as we consider what needs to be done now to address the challenge and realise the opportunity of the great energy transition.

Information about the speakers

Moderator

Madeleine Morris, Reporter, 7.30 at Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Madeleine Morris is an award-winning reporter and presenter for ABC television’s 7.30. She was formerly a reporter and presenter for the BBC in London from where she reported from dozens of countries including a stint as Washington Correspondent.

Speakers

Chloe Munro, Professorial Fellow, Monash University

Chloe Munro is a distinguished leader in the public and private sectors, with expertise in energy, infrastructure and natural resources. She was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2018 in recognition of her service in the areas of renewable energy, water, climate change and the performing arts.

Chloe is a Professorial Fellow at Monash University, an independent director of NPP Australia Ltd, which was established by the banking industry to build and operate the new faster payments platform, and Chair of the Impact Investment Group’s Solar Income Fund and Solar Assets Fund. Chloe is also Chair of Lucy Guerin Inc, a world-renowned contemporary dance company based in Melbourne, and of the Energy Transition Hub Strategic Advisory Panel. She was recently named as one of the AFR 100 Women of Influence for 2018.

Richard Bolt, Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology

Richard Bolt was appointed Vice-President (Strategy and Innovation) in February 2019. He is responsible for influencing the planning and delivery of strategies across the university, and leads the teams responsible for strategy and commercial, business analytics, communication and media, campus spaces, audit and risk, governance, legal and integrity.

Richard has had a diverse career in public service, policy research, public advocacy and engineering. He led three Victorian state departments under five premiers. His previous roles include Secretary of the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, and Secretary of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, which incorporated responsibility for higher education. Richard has also served on national committees advising ministerial councils on energy, agriculture, education, transport and resources.

Richard is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has a Master’s in Public Policy and Management and is a qualified engineer with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering.

In 2018, Richard was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List and awarded a Public Service Medal for outstanding public service leadership and innovation in energy, agriculture, education, transport, economic development and carbon policy in Victoria and nationally.

Tony Wood, Energy Program Director, Grattan Institute

Tony has been Director of the Energy Program since 2011 after 14 years working at Origin Energy in senior executive roles. From 2009 to 2014 he was also Program Director of Clean Energy Projects at the Clinton Foundation, advising governments in the Asia-Pacific region on effective deployment of large-scale, low-emission energy technologies. In 2008, he was seconded to provide an industry perspective to the first Garnaut climate change review.

In January 2018, Tony was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his significant service to conservation and the environment, particularly in the areas of energy policy, climate change and sustainability.