if it smells like ..

"We could learn from California, where they have been maintaining high levels of economic growth and yet they have stabilised energy growth." yes, like California we should import nearly all our energy, then claim to be clean and green - is it working for them, well the spin part clearly is. California does not produce even a quarter of its own energy. The green lobby there is now trying to stop wind generators being put offshore, thus forcing ever increasing energy costs ont he people.

Sounds great! Let's do that then shall we!

if it sounds like..

Your resume includes "was a former Senior Adviser to Senator Lyn Allison who tabled a private members Bill for a white certificate scheme, “National Market Driven Energy Efficiency Target Bill 2007” and which has been re-tabled by the Australian Greens as “Safe Climate (Energy Efficiency Target) Bill 2009”.

So what's your connection to that bill, nothing? Lyn allison tables a bill, so what? Interesting that it is getting a second try to get up by including the word Climate int he title .. so what all the "deniers" say is true, if you put climate or climate change in your document, it increases the chance it will get up?

good thing we didn't step in it.

The article doesn't explain clearly how 'white certificates' will restore profit to electricity and gas retailers if they sell fewer units of output. Of course a radical alternative is public ownership so that profits don't matter, then again it could be run by the same types as Sydney ferries.

That aside I agree that population growth, electric transport, wild weather swings and desalination will dwarf efficiency gains. Some hope that the rollout of smart meters will bring 30% savings per household but I think 10% is optimistic. If you think 'no pain no gain' then perhaps there need to be tight allowances for basic water heating, aircon, cooking, TV and so on above which stiff penalty rates apply. That way you can get by if you are energy frugal. However a declining CO2 cap should really achieve all that with providers working out their own billing schemes. The problem is that is takes political cojones to administer a strict CO2 cap without massive giveaways. Australia evidently doesn't have that political will.