Among the most powerful ideas in the history of politics is that governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed. Across the policies that matter most to the daily lives of Australians, governments are not seeking the consent of the governed. It is in energy policy however that the gap between the governed and their governors is particularly wide and where the consequences are most corrosive. A clear majority, around 60 per cent, thought net zero would either damage the economy or make no difference at all. The result is that Australians pay for energy policy twice.