Pete Milne
banner
petemilne.bsky.social
Pete Milne
@petemilne.bsky.social
I cover energy, industry and climate in WA at www.boilingcold.com.au
Independent, informed and inquisitive news and analysis as WA tackles the problems of climate change and the opportunities of the energy transition.
Woodside and other gas exporters have a "shocking record" of not providing evidence that gas helps reduce carbon emissions, according to veteran WA Labor MP Chris Tallentire.
www.boilingcold.com.au/wa-labor-vet...
WA Labor veteran slams “baseless" claims that gas is good for the climate
Woodside and other exporters have a "shocking record" of not providing evidence that gas helps reduce carbon emissions, according to Chris Tallentire.
www.boilingcold.com.au
November 13, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Reposted by Pete Milne
Never forget: At breakneck speed we are leaving the stable Holocene climate in which human society developed and thrived. Weather extremes are outside historical experience. Sea-level rise is accelerating. Dangerous tipping points are ahead.
Graph: ed-hawkins.github.io/climate-visu...
November 13, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Reposted by Pete Milne
Confidential Western Australian government report warns gas exports risk slowing Asia’s move to clean energy - by @petemilne.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Confidential Western Australian government report warns gas exports risk slowing Asia’s move to clean energy
Report by consultants Deloitte undermines Labor’s public claims that WA’s gas exports help reduce emissions overseas
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:14 PM
The Cook WA Labor Government was told by Deloitte a year ago that gas exports could slow down Asia's energy transition. It did not hinder their determination to allow Woodside Energy to operate its North West Shelf LNG plant until 2070.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Confidential Western Australian government report warns gas exports risk slowing Asia’s move to clean energy
Report by consultants Deloitte undermines Labor’s public claims that WA’s gas exports help reduce emissions overseas
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Reposted by Pete Milne
And the ALP is using this massive polling to do nothing.
#Newspoll Fed poll
TPP: ALP 57 (0) L/NP 43 (0)
Primary: ALP 36 (-1) L/NP 24 (-4) GRN 11 (-1) ON 15 (+4) OTH 14 (+2)
Preferred PM: Albanese 54 (+2) Ley 27 (-3)
www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/polit... ($) #auspol
poll of 1265 voters, 27-30 Oct
www.theaustralian.com.au
November 2, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Alcoa will own just 5% of the WA gallium plant that has "an aggressive schedule" to start production in 2026. The US and Australian governments only started considering it a few months ago.
www.boilingcold.com.au/alcoa-to-own...
Alcoa to own just 5pc of WA plant to bust China’s dominance of gallium supply
The US miner under fire for its environmental performance in WA sees the gallium plant solidifying the importance of its Wagerup alumina refinery.
www.boilingcold.com.au
October 24, 2025 at 4:58 AM
The US Australia critical minerals deal has both governemnts backing an Alcoa gallium plant in WA that will need green tape shredded to start on schedue and long term jarrah forest mining to be viable.
www.boilingcold.com.au/trump-critic...
Trump minerals deal could lock in jarrah forest mining
An Alcoa plant to produce gallium in WA's South West will need green tape shredded to start on schedue and long term forest mining to be viable.
www.boilingcold.com.au
October 21, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Reposted by Pete Milne
The Albanese government is terrified of its own shadow — you can forget about any meaningful reform in the years to come, writes Bernard Keane.
Jim Chalmers' super tax compromise proves Labor is a party that's in office, but not in power
www.crikey.com.au
October 14, 2025 at 1:16 AM
There was an enormous amount of flaring from INPEX Australia's Ichthys offshore facilities on Tuesday afternoon, from both the Venturer FPSO (left) and the Explorer platform right). They are designed for no routine flaring, but it is necessary for safety reasons, like process upsets and emergencies.
October 1, 2025 at 4:31 AM
WA's Synergy is planning a massive 1.5 gigawatt renewable energy farm 300km north of Perth.
The state-owned power utility is closing down its two coal-fired power stations in 2027 and 2029.
www.boilingcold.com.au/synergy-plan...
Synergy plans $4.5b wind-solar-battery farm in Wheatbelt
The state-owned utility needs to replace the generation capacity it will lose by closing down all its coal-fired power stations over the next four years.
www.boilingcold.com.au
September 26, 2025 at 2:43 AM
After a big splash four years ago and little publicity since, Woodside has teamed up with Japanese partners to promote a smaller, later, and dirtier hydrogen plant near Perth.
My analysis: possibly more value as a PR stunt than an investment.
www.boilingcold.com.au/woodside-shr...
Woodside's Perth hydrogen plan: smaller, later, dirtier
After a big splash four years ago and little publicity since, Woodside has teamed up with Japanese partners to promote a smaller, later, and dirtier hydrogen plant.
www.boilingcold.com.au
September 25, 2025 at 10:07 AM
AEMO want Bluewaters Power Station to operate until 2028, but if the WA government won't subsidise its insolvent fuel supplier, Griffin Coal, who will? It's about keeping the lights on.
www.boilingcold.com.au/wa-needs-blu...
WA needs Bluewaters power until 2028, but who will pay?
The operator of South West WA's power grid needs insolvent Griffin Coal to keep supplying a vital power station, but if the WA Government won't keep it going, who will?
www.boilingcold.com.au
September 22, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Reposted by Pete Milne
The 400 richest Americans are now worth a record $6.6 trillion.

The entire bottom 50% of America is worth just $4.2 trillion.

Our problem isn't a lack of resources.

Our problem is ever-expanding inequality.
September 20, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Regulator NOPSEMA has ordered Jadestone Energy to urgently address corrosion on its aged Montara Venture oil vessel in the Timor Sea, which "may pose significant safety and environmental risks."
www.boilingcold.com.au/regulator-sl...
Jadestone slammed for dangerous corrosion in WA oil vessel
NOPSEMA has ordered Jadestone to urgently address corrosion on its aged Montara Venture oil vessel in the Timor Sea, which "may pose significant safety and environmental risks."
www.boilingcold.com.au
September 16, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Reposted by Pete Milne

Of all US allies, the Baltic states have done most to increase defence spending in line with Trump's demands. So, he has cut military assistance. Australians who imagine that handing over billions to AUKUS will buy us security are living in a fools paradise. www.euractiv.com/new... #auspol
US to cut military aid for Baltic states | Euractiv
Estonia's Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said the US move is "especially symbolic, in a negative way"
www.euractiv.com
September 15, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Reposted by Pete Milne
On the anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers, I am posting the cartoon which was my response to the chest-beating nationalistic rhetoric immediately used by George W Bush to stir up support for a military response. The editor at the time would not publish it.
September 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Reposted by Pete Milne
Hard to argue with Ross Gittins. If Albanese plans to just sit on his huge majority without doing anything useful to address climate change, generational inequity, housing, tax rorts and plenty else, he should quit and bequeath the job to someone with the bottle. www.smh.com.au/business/the...
If Albanese’s lost his bottle, he should retire
Under the leadership of Anthony Albanese, Labor has lost its reforming zeal. It knows we have plenty of problems, and would like to do something about them, but not yet.
www.smh.com.au
September 2, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Fortescue slashes electric train program but insists zero emissions 'on track.' Andrew Forrest's miner is back to the drawing board to find a new solution that does not disrupt production and can be delivered by 2030.
www.boilingcold.com.au/fortescue-sl...
Fortescue culls electric train team but 'on track' for 2030
Andrew Forrest's miner is back to the drawing board to find a new solution that does not disrupt production and can be delivered by 2030.
www.boilingcold.com.au
September 4, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Reposted by Pete Milne
The Guardian has today printed the names, and where possible, images, of all the media workers killed in Gaza, as part of an international day of action involving more than 150 media organisations.
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
The deadly toll on journalists in the Gaza war
With foreign media barred, Palestinians have reported alone, facing the ‘most deliberate effort to kill and silence’ them ever
www.theguardian.com
September 1, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Ad Standards rules Alcoa's claims about rehabilitating WA's jarrah forest are not truthful or factual, and are unclear, overstated and without reasonable grounds
A key plank of the US miner's campaign to win public support for expanded mining in WA has crumbled
www.boilingcold.com.au/alcoa-lied-a...
Alcoa lied about jarrah forest rehabilitation: ad watchdog
The Ad Standards decision has demolished a key plank of the US miner's expensive campaign to win public support for expanded mining in WA.
www.boilingcold.com.au
September 1, 2025 at 9:25 AM
After a massive public response to its plans, Alcoa chief executive Bill Oplinger will look to shore up state government support for his vital WA mining, which is facing public scrutiny for the first time.
www.boilingcold.com.au/record-59-00...
Record 59,000 submissions to EPA on Alcoa as US boss flies in
Alcoa chief executive Bill Oplinger will look to shore up state government support for his vital WA mining that is facing public scrutiny for the first time.
www.boilingcold.com.au
August 27, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Reposted by Pete Milne
August 25, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Chevron ceo Mike Wirth briefly visited Australia last week and pushed a false line that Labor's policies were thwarting expansions that were never going to happen.
His real aim was to block any policy that might leave more value from his projects in Australia
www.boilingcold.com.au/chevron-boss...
Chevron boss misled Aussie deputy PM to push policy agenda
The US giant pretends Labor's policies are thwarting the expansion of its Gorgon and Wheatstone gas plants, which it does not plan to do anyway, to gain leverage with governments.
www.boilingcold.com.au
August 22, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Alcoa’s mining has 21 high risk pathways that can contaminate Perth’s water supply, according to an independent expert study done for the US miner.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Perth’s water supply at ‘high risk’ from Alcoa bauxite mining, expert study finds
Exclusive: GHD identified 22 pathways for Alcoa’s mining to contaminate dams inland of Perth
www.theguardian.com
August 19, 2025 at 9:27 PM