A heatwave has hit eastern Australia. As Sydneysiders struggled through the heat, the premier, Chris Minns, asked residents to cut back on their power use to prevent parts of the city from plunging into a blackout. And while the grid strained to keep up with demand, an all-too-familiar debate erupted about the transition to renewable energy.Bridie Jabour talks to Guardian Australia’s head of newsroom, Mike Ticher, and deputy editor Patrick Keneally about the challenges the Labor government faces when selling its climate credentials during a cost-of-living crisis