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Pedestrian Council of Australia & BicycleNSW JOINT Media Release Wednesday 21 September 2005 NRMA ON THE Tomorrow’s Summit Should be About Reducing Car-Dependency NOT Reducing |
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The Chairman of the Pedestrian Council, Mr Harold Scruby and BicycleNSW CEO, Mr Alex Unwin said that tomorrow’s NRMA Petrol Price Summit was focused on the wrong subject. The major Mr Scruby said: “Nowhere in the NRMA’s literature have they mentioned anything about car-dependency. And they have not invited representatives from the public transport or active transport (walking and cycling) groups. Th For the last 2 days, 2GB’s Alan Jones has spoken openly about the need for rational debate on th · “But we can't turn the petrol pricing debate over to the alarm · “It · “If the higher petrol prices make us think about public transport rather than driving the car, that · “We need to drive less, drive more economically, share private transport and make better use of what public transport there · Mr Jones quoted Robert Samuelson, a member of the Washington Post Writers' Group: "What the Mr Unwin said: “The fuel cr “Bike transport Mr Scruby added: “We must shake off our western culture arrogance and imagine the price of petrol and the effects of global warming, if the people of “We therefore encourage all Australians to participate in Walk to Work Day on Friday 7 October 2005 and ‘Leave the Car at Home’. See: www.walk.com.au Mr Unwin said: “And for people wanting to try alternative forms of commuting, Portfolio Partners CONTACT: Harold Scruby - (02) 9968-4555 or (0418) 110-011 Or Alex Unwin at Bicycle NSW on (02) 9281-4099 (0425) 221-060 |
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Alan Jones - Today Show Editorial PETROL - 21 September 2005 Yesterday I said something about petrol prices and argued that, most probably, we weren't being told the truth about petrol prices and why we should be paying what we are paying. I said, "No government should responsibly encourage petrol guzzling." Well, when I came off air, a piece lobbed on my desk by Robert Samuelson, who He opened by saying bluntly, "What the Now, He was arguing that what And he said, "Coupled with stricter fuel economy standards, higher pump prices should push reluctant auto companies and American drivers away from today's gas guzzlers. That should be American policy." He said, "The deafening silence on th He said, "Katrina's message I was arguing yesterday that th Samuelson argued, "Two thirds of the world's proven oil reserves lie around the But then he said, "Many other oil exporters are similarly unreliable - He said, "A prudent society would respond to th Now remember I said yesterday that price Samuelson said, "From 2003 to 2025, the number of vehicles may grow by 50%." He said, "The upshot Elsewhere he argued that the traditional He said, "They tied their fortunes to the biggest 4WDs and pick-ups, hence the need for a stiff oil tax." Samuelson said, "The US government needs to foster a market for fuel efficiency. One way or another, Well that, too, As I said yesterday, by world standards, we have had it pretty good. And even now, our petrol price We need to drive less, drive more economically, share private transport and make better use of what public transport there We currently spend $15 billion on imported crude oil and refined petroleum products. 17% of our overall consumption I call that fairly vulnerable. As one writer here put it yesterday, "Whenever it begins losing domestic, political or economic arguments, the Howard government flicks the switch to terror It might be time we took note.
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Alan Jones - Today Show Editorial PETROL PRICES - 20 September 2005 Everything these days seems to be a virus. The political virus overtaking all of us seems to be petrol prices. And suddenly there are calls for the Federal government to cut the 38 cent a litre exc Or, make fuel exempt from the GST. Or, grant special relief to small businesses and those in the bush. Now, much as I would like to recommend all or some of these, I can't. It That said, most of us have reservations about the behaviour of oil companies. And it's clear that retail margins and refining margins have grown substantially as the price of a barrel of crude oil has climbed. Consumers are entitled to ask whether oil companies can justify their current profit margins. Is profiteering taking place on the back of a tragedy like Hurricane Katrina? Certainly, oil companies are raking in millions of dollars as a result of bloated refining margins. There And, quite frankly, it would do no harm for the Federal government to haul oil company executives down to After all, the Prices Surveillance Act It may be time for the Price Surveillance dogs to be let loose. But that The reality If potatoes are scarce, you will soon find the price goes up. So the headlines say, basically, the government must step in and reduce the price of petrol. Such an argument Apart from Hurricane Katrina and the problems it has created with supply, there have been massive increases in the demand for oil from But the reality Quite frankly, no government should responsibly encourage petrol guzzling. If the higher petrol prices make us think about public transport rather than driving the car, that Or, if we learn that big cars are less affordable so we choose something smaller, that's no bad thing. If we decide we have had enough of petrol prices and will convert to LPG so that we can drive from And if the government were to mandate at least a 10% ethanol component in all petrol, then that would make sense. Though it appears that the Federal government have already caved into the oil companies on that front and I believe we will shortly get an announcement to prove that we are miles behind the rest of the world on mandating ethanol. How that fits with the current climate, who knows. But we can't turn the petrol pricing debate over to the alarm As the respected finance writer, Alan Kohler wrote the other day, since 1980, the oil price has gone up 75%, but milk has gone us 262%. The price of a Commodore, 326%. The average weekly wage, 351%. And the average house price, 708%. So, at the end of the day, we aren't doing too badly. And the screaming headlines about a petrol pricing cr |
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NRMA calls emergency petrol summit |
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NRMA Motoring & Services NRMA will today invite the Federal and NSW governments, oil companies, the Service Station Association, the Australian Consumers Association and the Australian Consumer and Competition Comm NRMA has proposed a detailed agenda which will examine: Ways to provide relief for motor Improving accountability by the petrol industry and government for revenue they receive. Whether the Australian Competition and Consumer Comm NRMA President Alan Evans said the “Families are now paying up to $100 every week to fill up the car - the public needs a proper explanation for the prices they are paying,” Mr Evans said. “All the parties that receive petrol revenue – including the oil companies, service stations and Government – need to be more accountable.” Mr Evans said the State and Federal governments must look again at some means of giving motor “The spike in petrol prices has provided both governments with a windfall in GST revenue – all means of delivering of relief ought to be considered, including petrol subsidy schemes and a review of fuel tax,” Mr Evans said. The NRMA also plans to include representatives of alternative fuel organ “The
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