First let’s remind ourselves that the go ahead for this road was given by the Premier prior to the Environmental Effects Statement being completed. It highlights that once a road is on the agenda, preordained, not only will nothing stand in the way of it being built, but that the power of the road building industry, feeding and catering as it does to our society’s car dependency, is sufficient to overturn democratic and theoretically objective checks and balances in the system.
The panel report was released in April this year.
The EES and the panel were asked to consider the greenhouse gas implications of building a new freeway. Clearly this is an important consideration at a time when the knowledge of dangerous climate change is well known, when there is acceptance even from the state government of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 60%, by 2050, when the world’s scientists are telling us we need to cut emissions by half by 2020 to have a chance of a safe climate, and head to zero emissions as soon as possible.
Greenhouse gas emissions from transport are 16.5% of Victoria’s emissions. Emissions from cars across Australia went up 25% between 1990 and 2005 and are forecast to rise a further 27% between 2010 and 2020. Emissions from commercial vehicles rose 44% between 1990 and 2005, and are forecast to increase by 27 per cent between 2010 and 2020. These expected rises are even with ‘measures’ such as greater fuel efficiency being taken to try to stem the rise.
The panel acknowledged that the new road will encourage more people to travel by road and to travel further. However, their response to this part of their terms of reference was limited:
We have broader concerns because we don’t think that a project by project approach to greenhouse gas emissions is appropriate with respect to transport infrastructure. Sustainability issues of land use and transport need to be addressed at the broad metropolitan scale. Melbourne @ 5 million and the Victorian Transport Plan recognise sustainability issues. We do not think it is appropriate to single out specific capital works programs for off-setting in the absence of a broader process.
This begs the question of course as to what actual mechanisms are outlined in the Victoria Transport Plan and Melbourne @ 5 million that will actually result in a reduction in emissions. The reality is they just aren’t there. They are paid lip service to, but serious reductions of greenhouse gas emissions from transport is not built into either of these plans.
It is noteworthy that the panel report for the Eastlink (then Scoresby Integrated Transport Corridor) EES said very similar things a decade earlier:
However, these issues are of a much broader regional scale and depend on overall government initiatives if a reduction in Greenhouse gases is to be achieved. The Panel would strongly support such initiatives undertaken by both Commonwealth and Victorian governments and considers that these should be given considerable attention as soon as possible if the objectives of the reduction of Greenhouse gases are to be achieved.
Unfortunately we haven’t seen much progress in giving these initiatives ‘considerable attention’ in the last ten years.
Assessment of what is required has been done. Cutting carbon emissions from transport to the levels needed will require all of extraordinary advances in fuel efficiency, facilitating and providing infrastructure to get people out of their cars and onto public transport, walking and cycling, to get freight onto rail, and a reduction in travel overall.
The critical point overlooked by the panel is of course that if such measures were undertaken effectively and to the levels required to actually reduce emissions, then the rationale for a new freeway is severely reduced.
However, the EES and the panel didn’t seriously consider such issues as travel demand management and serious mode shift. In fact, surprise, surprise the three options considered by the EES all included the freeway. Once again an option of not providing the freeway and dramatically improving public transport access was not seriously addressed.
The arguments around the potential of improved public transport and hence decreasing the need for the road were essentially dismissed by the panel. They stated that the freeway is needed because transport modelling shows that demand will grow even if better public transport is provided, there are no plans to provide new rail services, and there’s no room on the existing roads for express bus services.
What this means in a nutshell is that despite policy frameworks of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, of creating mode shift, when it comes to the pointy end of transport planning this all counts for nought – it’s all determined by the transport models which essentially say the future is going to be the same as the past. These models don’t model the substantial mode shifts that could be possible and desirable by providing extensive high quality public transport, limiting or increasing the costs of road based private and commercial travel, or the mode shifts that are likely due to massive increases in the cost of oil. These scenarios don’t exist in model land.
Paul Mees in his book A Most Public Solution quotes ST Atkins in 1976, and notes that nothing has changed since:
]]>‘ we have a series of excessively complicated and expensive models using unsubstantiated and biased techniques to provide information of dubious accuracy for answering the wrong questions.’
Once upon a time Mr Brumby and his government decided to build a big shiny new freeway to make it easier for them to get to their seaside holidays on the Mornington Peninsula.
Mr Brumby says ‘Don’t worry. We will do an Environment Effects Statement to show how the new freeway can be built without destroying the environment. We are so confident that we can do that that we don’t even need to wait until the EES is finished before announcing that the freeway will be built!.
Now, even though Mr Brumby has already said that the freeway will be built, we still get to play the EES game. So, the EES is written. People get to put in submissions. Aren’t they lucky to be able to spend their weekends doing such fun things like that!
Then comes the really fun bit of the game. This involves three lovely gentlemen getting together as a Panel. Their job is to say how well the EES has done in its quest of saying that we can build a freeway and protect the environment and reduce carbon pollution and create world peace.
The Chair of the Panel is a bloke called Lester who lives in Brunswick (Lester used to be seen as a bit of a greenie. Not any more.)
Lester and his Panel say ‘Mmmm, The EES says traffic is increasing. Congestion is a problem. Population is increasing ( but not too much) . And what do you know! There is land that has been set aside for the freeway for a long, long time – almost back to when time began. Magic Freeway Land!
Lester and his panel say ‘We agree with the EES. We have to have the freeway. No way around it. Some silly sausages think that more public transport might work instead. But look – the people who want to build the freeway say that won’t work, because people just want to drive their cars. Of course they do. Silly anyone who thinks otherwise. So, that means we have to give them a big shiny new road to drive their cars on.
But, oh dear, the Magic Freeway land includes some very important bits of habitat. The shiny new freeway cuts The Pines flora and fauna reserve in half and destroy half of it. It will go through sites of state and national flora and fauna significance. It’s quite possible that it will cause the local extinction of the southern brown bandicoot which is classified as a threatened species and is in serious decline across Victoria
‘Mmm, not good. It’s a dilemma’, say Lester and his team. It’s lucky they’ve had an EES. It’s lucky they’ve called our Panel together to think about this. What can we do.... because we need the road. It’s got to go ahead.
We can’t build the road outside the Magic Freeway land because that would mean acquiring houses. That would cost a lot and make people unhappy. Can’t do that. We’ve got to use the Magic Freeway Land. That’s why its there after all.
We can’t put the road in a tunnel through the Pines reserve because that would make the road cost twice as much ( and don’t forget chimes in Mr Brumby, those nasty feds won’t give us any money for this road!! )
‘So, there’s only one thing to do’, say Lester and his panel.
‘Let’s shift the road a teensy weensy bit, and plant lots more trees, and build some nice tunnels under the freeway for the bandicoots to use… and the bandicoots may still go extinct… but we need the road so that’s how it is. Tough titty bandicoots. But Mr Brumby and his government will keep track of your decline, you have our word on that.
Now Lester and his team roll up their sleeves. ‘Our great and glorious government have said that there will be a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. How does this new freeway relate to that target?
‘First things first’, says Lester with pride. ‘We’re standing up for the environment here. The Freeway builders are saying that the new road will reduce carbon emissions. That’s not right. We agree with the greenies here. This road will encourage more people to drive. It will increase carbon emissions.’
‘But, when it comes to thinking about the 60% reduction target, its not that simple', say Lester and his crew. 'You can’t look at any one road and say how it will or won’t contribute to this goal. It’s got to be considered at a Melbourne wide strategic basis.
So there’s only one thing my Panel can properly do, says Lester. We’ll ignore carbon emissions.
Let’s certainly not mention that any strategic consideration of transport carbon emissions has to include stopping encouraging more car travel – even Mr Brumby’s own climate change Green Paper says we need to do that.
And even more definitely not mention that to have any chance at all of meeting the 60% reduction by 2050 target, (let alone the zero carbon target that’s needed if we are to stop us all frying and dying) –then we need a lot less car travel per person, even if people are driving cars that don’t guzzle as much gas.
And absolutely definitely don’t mention that if we had a lot less car travel per person then there won’t be increasing traffic. Because that would mean we wouldn’t need the new freeway…but we’ve already agreed – we need the new freeway ( don’t worry Mr Brumby we won’t let you down!)
We need the new freeway. We need the new freeway. We need the new freeway.
So, Dear Minister – we need the new freeway. What’s being proposed looks pretty good to us. Shame about the bandicoots. And climate crisis? What crisis?
Our job is done – if we may be excused now Mr Brumby, we’ll go home to Brunswick and have a good lie down.
]]>Authentic.
All my adult life I’ve worked passionately for change. Taking action on climate change has been a huge priority for me since studying meteorology at university more than twenty years ago. It’s the most important issue facing us. Now, it’s an emergency. I’m asking for your support to become our Senator so together we can use the power of that position to lever real change on climate, as well as biodiversity, greening the economy, and the other urgent issues we face.
We will only achieve real change through our leaders genuinely listening to our community, and then acting. Truly valuing the engagement of members is a cornerstone of our party. I think it’s incredibly important that our Victorian Senator has exceptional skills and commitment to working collaboratively. A collaborative approach is not just a skill to me – it’s fundamental to my life’s work. I love working as part of a team. Professionally, I work as a facilitator – working with groups to help them achieve their goals. As a Councillor I made participatory democracy real by bringing the community together to work with Council. I would relish bringing a participatory approach to my work as a Senator.
I’m not your run of the mill politician. I connect with people as being genuine and honest, passionate and committed.
Experienced.
I’m proud of some substantial things I’ve
achieved in my life so far. This is all experience I would bring to the Senate.
The Greens
The success of the Greens in Victoria is something very special. I drove the formation of the party in the early 1990’s, working as part of a dedicated small team, and then contributed ten years on the state executive, including a term as Convenor, and many years as a branch and regional convenor. In recognition of my efforts I was awarded a life membership of the party in 2002 - one of only two ever awarded.
Forests
The magnificent ancient forests of the Errinundra Plateau and in the Rodger River catchment in East Gippsland are protected in National Parks because of the campaigning successes of the East Gippsland Coalition in the mid 80's. I was one of a small team who led these huge campaigns.
Carbon Neutral Governments
Maribyrnong Council was one of the first Councils in Australia to commit to going carbon neutral. This was the highlight of my six years on Council – important in itself and as an inspiration to others. I know it wouldn't have happened at that time without me there.
Greens in Government
I was the second Greens Mayor in Victoria –and the first female one. I’m proud to have held the Greens flag high in Maribyrnong (where I was known for my Mayoral bike instead of a car). I’m proud to have been the first Green Vice-President of Victorian Local Governance Association, and to have paved the way for Cr Rose Iser’s election as President this year.
Green Transport
The transport debate has shifted in the last five years. We’ve gone from contesting the value of public transport to a culture where even the government knows that Melbourne has to have better public transport, walking and cycling. As Chair of the Metropolitan Transport Forum I was a key player in that shift, and led the MTF to have real influence on government and the public debate.
The power of local government
As a Councillor you are in government, making decisions, representing constituents. The issues that I was active on as a Councillor were diverse and the same issues that are tackled at state and national level including health and disability, economic development, indigenous and women’s rights, and advocacy on international human rights. I know these issues –locally to internationally.
Winning
I can win elections. I was elected to Council with a vote of 42%, and re-elected with 36%. My vote of 22% in the Williamstown by-election in 2007 almost doubled the previous Greens vote. I connect with people – it translates to votes. I’m a highly experienced campaigner, having stood in eight local, state and federal elections. I love campaigning, I work hard, and I’m determined that this time we will win.
My passion for change.
Back in 1992 I helped write the Greens Charter. It stands as a beacon for what’s possible. I believe we are facing the most challenging time for humanity. Dangerous climate change is upon us as the world economy collapses. But I remain optimistic. We must tackle the economy, climate change and the environment together. We can have prosperity without growth in resource use, wellbeing without over-consumption, a zero carbon economy. As one of the Australian delegates to the Global Greens conference in Brazil last year, I was inspired at Greens all over the world working together to tackle climate change, poverty, and injustice. I went to the Climate Summit in Canberra in January this year and helped formulate the objectives for climate action across the country– a just transition to 100% renewables, the creation of thousands upon thousands of green jobs, building the movement to make it happen.
My optimism lies in the potential of The Greens to lever change, and the potential of a mass movement of hundreds of thousands of Australians to support us in that quest. To elect Greens to the Senate and to the lower house seats of Melbourne, Sydney, Batman, Fremantle. To be able to tell the old parties that if they want our support to form government then they need to deliver on climate change, on a sustainable economy, on a just society. I ask for your vote to be your Senator, to represent you in this pivotal point in our history.
Janet Rice
0439 363 846
Member VCECC 2009
Councillor, City of Maribyrnong 2003-2008, Mayor 2006
State Executive Member 1992-2002
Victorian Greens Convenor 2002
Awarded Life Membership 2002
Founding Member 1992
]]>]]>No demand? Really?
LYNNE Kosky's spokesman says "there doesn't appear to be much demand" for an airport rail link (The Age, 6/4). I've got an idea for the Transport Minister — she could determine demand for reliable and affordable public transport by providing it.
Currently, in addition to the $16 each way Skybus service, there is a cheaper option — a bus service from Broadmeadows station to the airport. It takes 20 minutes and is covered by a Met ticket. The problem is it runs only every two hours. An improvement would be to run an express bus service from Broadmeadows so that it meets every train. It would also service workers in the airport precinct, for whom a return trip on Skybus every day is out of the question.
The new 401 bus service from North Melbourne to the hospitals and university has shown how successful services can be when they are fast, frequent and direct. Run the Broadmeadows trains and buses every 10 minutes and I reckon the Transport Department would have another success story — something it sorely needs.
Janet Rice, Footscray
]]>It’s no surprise that the price of parking at Tullamarine has been found to be ‘consistent with airports having a monopoly position’ because that’s exactly what exists. Not only are there no convenient alternatives for parking, but the option of not driving is just as expensive – $16 for a skybus trip and over $50 for a taxi trip from the city.
There is however a little known cheaper option of the bus service from Broadmeadows station to the Airport. It only takes 20 minutes and is covered by a Met ticket – the only problem is it only runs every two hours!
A modest but highly effective public transport improvement that would break the parking monopoly would be to run the bus service from Broadmeadows so that it meets every train. It would also service the huge numbers of workers in the airport precinct, for whom a $25 return trip on skybus every day is out of the question.
The new shuttle bus service from North Melbourne to the Hospitals and University has shown how successful bus services can be when they are fast frequent and direct. Run the Broadmeadows trains and buses every 10 minutes throughout the day and I reckon the Department of Transport would have another success story on its hands – something it sorely needs.
At 46.4 degrees Melbourne’s maximum temperature on 7 February was the highest ever recorded. It’s almost a degree hotter than the previous all time record and smashed the previous February record by 3 degrees. The state is so dry – over a decade of drought. We can shore up our water supplies by building desalination plants, (and adding to energy usage and climate change) but we can’t just ‘ fix’ our natural environment. We are destroying it.
It makes climate change real and tangible – maybe even to the skeptics. I heard of one avid Andrew Bolt reader who whilst sweltering in the heat said he thought he may have been following a false prophet . If our political leaders have any brains at all they must realise the need for serious action at emergency speed to tackle our climate emergency– the fact they are not taking it shows just how beholden they are to the greenhouse mafia of the coal industry and others
]]>We agreed on some very radical but scarily necessary objectives for the campaign – to work to scrap the government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, to campaign for 100% renewable energy for Australia by 2020, and for Australia to play its part in recreating a safe climate, by stabilising atmospheric carbon at 300ppm – that means taking carbon out of the atmosphere, and will allow the Arctic to refreeze. Have a read of more of my thoughts about the Summit here.
Just before Christmas the Victorian Government began logging majestic wild forest at Brown Mountain in East Gippsland. Their plans to continue the destruction are currently on hold because activists have found evidence of threatened species in the forest areas due to be logged. Brown Mountain has a special place in my heart – it was where we organised protest actions against logging in 1990 – and where on being totally sold out by the Labor Party both at a state and federal level I threw myself in establishing The Greens in Victoria. I’ve written a piece that explains the sellout by the Federal Government then – and how the Labor Party just haven’t changed a bit in the intervening 19 years.
I finished up on Maribyrnong Council at the end of November last year. I enjoyed my six years but it was time to move on. I’ve had some immense satisfaction including my work on sustainable transport and success in Council’s commitment to go carbon neutral by 2015. A quick summary of what I feel I achieved during my six year term is here. One of the big factors in my decision to move on was that being an active effective Councillor needs at least 30-40 hours a week, but you only get paid an allowance of $15 500. You can do it for so long, but not indefinitely. The allowance has now gone up to $20 000 but realistically it will only be when being a Councillor pays $30 000 or more that most people will be able to afford to put their hand up to be elected.
I’m still working this out! I’m planning to stand for pre-selection for the lead senate candidate for The Greens Victoria. Nominations open next month, and the candidate is chosen by postal ballot of all Greens Members in May. Please contact me if you’d like to know more about this.
Other than this I’m aiming to work half time as a facilitator to earn some money – see my CV . I’ve currently got some available time, so if you or your colleagues need some facilitating done give me a hoy. And then with the rest of my time I’m planning on campaigning on climate change and transport.