In this thought leaders episode of emPOWER, Wendy Agar speaks with Michael Katz, CEO of RELA, about one of the biggest questions in Australia’s energy transition: how do we meet national energy needs without sidelining the farmers and communities who host the projects?

Michael doesn’t mince words. His vision is clear: landholders must be partners, not bystanders. As he puts it, “everyone benefits or loses together”—and the only way forward is genuine collaboration that values all perspectives and negotiates from there.

From his work with RELA, Michael unpacks:

• The current context in regional australia
• How the future of farming is shifting—where food, fibre, clean energy, biodiversity, and decarbonisation can all co-exist
• Why co-existence isn’t compromise, but a path to greater productivity and resilience
• What success in 2035 could look like if farmers and communities are truly at the centre
  

Whether you’re in energy, government, or regional development, this episode challenges assumptions and makes the case that putting land at the heart of the transition is the only way to secure fair and lasting outcomes.

emPOWER is proudly supported by The Energy Charter, a CEO-led collaboration

across the national energy sector. They partner with communities to create a Regional Energy Accord that guides the transition and delivers real local outcomes.

Produced by The Podcast Boss