Katie Burgess

Katie Burgess: A Decade of Sharp Political and Climate Reporting

We’ve followed Katie Burgess’s career as she evolved from a regional politics beat reporter to a nationally recognized voice on energy policy and climate governance. Her work at The Canberra Times and Capital Brief combines rigorous policy analysis with accessible storytelling, making complex legislative debates tangible for everyday readers.

Key Career Milestones

• Early Career Foundations: Burgess began her journalism career covering local governance and federal politics, developing a knack for translating bureaucratic processes into compelling narratives.
• Pivot to Climate Reporting: By 2022, her focus shifted to energy transitions, driven by Australia’s escalating debates over coal phaseouts and renewable investments.
• National Influence: Her 2024 investigation into carbon trading irregularities prompted a Senate inquiry, cementing her reputation as a watchdog for corporate climate accountability.

Three Definitive Articles

• Interest in carbon trading is rising ahead of the safeguard reporting deadline This 2023 analysis dissects how international firms are outpacing Australian players in carbon credit markets. Burgess traces the delayed launch of Australia’s exchange to regulatory hesitancy, contrasting it with the EU’s aggressive trading framework. Her interviews with ASX executives reveal concerns about market fragmentation, while climate scientists warn of greenwashing risks. The piece underscores her ability to bridge technical financial concepts with environmental stakes.
• Could EV batteries accelerate Australia’s coal exit? Burgess profiles AGL’s pilot project using electric vehicle fleets as grid stabilizers, challenging skeptics who view EVs solely as energy drains. She details how bidirectional charging technology could offset peak demand, citing modeling from the Australian Energy Market Operator. The article’s impact was immediate: Queensland’s energy minister cited it during debates on state EV infrastructure grants.
• $665 annual hike predicted under nuclear plan This 2025 cost-of-living analysis weaponizes Treasury data to critique the opposition’s nuclear proposal. Burgess contrasts reactor construction timelines with renewable rollout speeds, quoting energy economists who question the viability of small modular reactors. The story trended nationally on X, prompting a rebuttal from the shadow climate minister.

Pitching Recommendations

1. Lead With Policy-Ready Climate Solutions

Burgess prioritizes stories that connect technical innovations to legislative roadmaps. A successful pitch might explore how grid-scale battery projects align with the Capacity Investment Scheme’s targets, emphasizing tangible timelines over aspirational net-zero pledges. Her recent coverage of Snowy Hydro 2.0 demonstrates appetite for complex engineering stories made accessible.

2. Localize National Energy Debates

While she reports on federal politics, Burgess often anchors stories in regional impacts. A pitch about renewable workforce training programs in Hunter Valley coal communities would resonate, particularly with data on employment transitions. Avoid generic “green jobs” narratives—she seeks specific skill retraining case studies.

3. Expose Greenwashing in Carbon Markets

Her investigative work on carbon credit integrity (e.g., exposing inflated abatement claims in forestry projects) shows she values hard-hitting accountability journalism. Pitches should offer whistleblower access or leaked datasets showing discrepancies between corporate climate reports and actual emissions.

Awards and Recognition

• 2024 Walkley Award Finalist: Nominated for her series on political lobbying in renewable energy approvals, praised for exposing the “revolving door” between regulators and fossil fuel executives.
• 2023 Climate Media Prize: Won in the Policy Analysis category for comparing Australia’s carbon pricing framework to Canada’s federal backstop model.