“Today’s oil rise to back over US$51 per barrel is a critical factor as Australia is depleting its reserves faster than many other countries. During the past 5 weeks both political parties have made piece-meal proposals mainly relating to the FEB rather than release proper transport and planning policies. We call for them to release their policies before Saturday.” David Worth, Convener of the Sustainable Transport Coalition said today.
Future oil shortages, not water, will ruin our children’s future.
“The FEB and Roe 8 proposals will only make Perth’s reliance on cars more acute and make the impact of looming rising petrol prices to over $2 per litre worse for our residents. Also, none of the proposals address our high level of transport greenhouse emissions. Saudi Arabia has already slashed Japan’s oil imports by 6% during December 2004 and January 2005 and the coming ‘oil rollover’ will see western countries scrambling to get enough oil from OPEC to keep their economies growing.” (www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10001099&sid=aQb6YS.bYez0&refer=energy)
“The WA Government’s commitment to cycling in the past five years has helped put WA in Australia’s ‘top three’ for cycling participation, just behind ACT and the Northern Territory. Last year Australians bought more bicycles than motor vehicles, with bicycles sales topping 1.1 million for the third straight year of million-plus sales, and that means there are plenty of cyclists out there as long as there are places for them to ride.” Dr Worth also said “The Government’s track record on Travelsmart, new southern railway and the Network City also showed it was heading in the right direction but a lack of a proper transport policy for this election is very disappointing.”
Dr Worth said that “it was urgent that the Coalition also release a proper plan for Perth’s future, especially how urban sprawl and car-dependence was to be addressed by any Barnett Government. Their plans for Roe 8 and the FEB are taking us back 30 years and will only encourage greater car use. Their proposal to split Alannah MacTiernan’s single ministry into 4 new ones (Roads, Transport, Planning, Perth & Rural Planning) will only lead to chaotic planning.”
