Ann: CBD Shareholder update , page-5

Pink bats did have poor oversight (and shonks) but as far as its purpose went it worked - generated employment, reduced heating/cooling bills enough that it is contributing to the financial woes of incumbent generators as electricity consumption is falling. Economically, they could have backed a truck up in Martin Place and Queen St Mall and shovelled $10 notes over the tailgate. It would have generated economic activity. Efficiency wasn't a particular goal.

Solar power generated (!) a frenzy but that frenzy really only got going when the initial high cost/small volume industry started to get scale and prices plunged as a result. No priming of the PV business with subsidy, no current scale.

Rab advocates economic and technical freeloading on the Germans and Chinese. Eventually lack of innovation (high risk, high cost, the sort of thing Rab rails against) will see us being the Argentina of south Asia.