under federal legislation all australian based companies with energy consumption of more than pj per annum are required to report on energy use and energy savings under the energy efficiency opportunities program hence these companies have established systems and training to improve energy efficiency resulting in a reduction in carbon emissions but many large firms rely on inhouse and specialist training organisations rather than using tafe programmes smaller companies are not subject to the same requirements so there may be a role for partnership networks made up of regional development agencies local government agencies and tafe institutes to address this universal issue