Sustainable NRMA in a Living City
As part of the petrol price debate I have received the following view from the Sustainable Transport Coalition in West Australia
Motorist organisations creating MAD CAR disease
25 September 2005
"The call this week by automobile associations for lower petrol prices will only lead to MAD CAR disease- more cars, more fuel usage and more pain as prices head toward $2 per litre" Dr David Worth, Convener of the Sustainable Transport Coalition said today."We need leadership that will lead motorists to change their driving habits, purchase cars with smaller engines, live closer to their work and make greater use of public transport."
" Any decrease in fuel excise or refining margins will quickly disappear as crude oil production shortages lead to higher oil prices and higher petrol prices in the next 3-6 months. With regional towns, truck drivers and indigenous communities badly suffering the government should refuse the self-interest from automobile associations and the National Party and address MAD CAR disease by:
- Encouraging greater use of gas as a transport fuel rather than ethanol (ethanol is a costly energy-deficient way of using Australia's rapidly disappearing arable land).
- Supporting unsustainable sub-contractor truckies to leave the industry (as the WA government did with timber workers).
- Establish a special task-force of State and Federal Transport and Planning Ministers to urgently prepare national and state options to address 'peak oil'.
- Put additional surpluses into a special capital fund for new infrastructure projects that will encourage Australians to walk, cycle or take public transport rather than drive their cars.
Dr Worth said that "The NRMA's call for oil companies to receive less money at the petrol bowser was bizarre and pandering to their members with large cars. These companies will need to spend tens of billions of dollars searching for new oil and gas reserves to ensure that the effects of peak oil are reduced. After 3 years of working on this issue, the STC seem to be more aware of the real reason for the looming further rises in oil prices - global oil production 'peaking' rather than to a lack of refining capacity, hurricanes or other one-off factors."
The STC developed an options paper (http://www.stcwa.org.au/papers/Oil_living_with_less.doc) that actually suggests that the Government should RAISE the fuel excise (as it is one of the lowest in the OECD) to encourage Australian motorists to address the higher oil prices now, rather than later.
Such an alternate policy would leave West Australians better prepared for the looming additional rises in oil to US$80-100 per barrel later in the year.Contact Details
Name: David Worth
http://stcwa.org.au/news/1127711368_18272.html