Tag: end of suburbia

Delegates' report: Peak Oil and Climate Change

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On the 27th of June I attended the Peak Oil, Petrol Prices and Climate Change Conference convened by the Victorian Council of Social Services, Environment Victoria and in partnership with the Victorian Government.

Peak Oil is the situation that occurs when the supply of oil is unable to meet demand. It was first hypothesised by Marion King Hubbert who successfully predicted the peaking of US oil supplies in the 1970s.

This conference provided a wealth of information on the repercussions of rising petrol prices and therefore the implications of peak oil on Melbourne and Victoria more broadly. This has a number of consequences for Maroondah since rising petrol prices can create increasing financial strain on household budgets.

In fact one of the speakers at the conference, Dr. Jago Dodson, has investigated the vulnerability of Australia’s cities in regard to rising petrol prices. The report found that outer eastern Melbourne, including Maroondah is definitely susceptible to the resulting increased financial strain, due mainly to the under provision of public transport services.

The conference on peak oil reinforced the need for strong advocacy in regard to public transport. It is therefore encouraging that Maroondah has recently appointed a full-time sustainable transport officer to strengthen our advocacy for public transport improvements.

There were a number of sustainability related events over the course of the past month, including the Croydon Conservation Society Film night on the 28th of June. This film night included screenings of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and the End of Suburbia, a film that further explores the concept of peak oil.

An Inconvenient Truth which features former US Vice-President Al Gore, explores the growing evidence surrounding climate change and the growing need for worldwide consensus and action. The film draws an interesting comparison between the controversy surrounding climate change and the debate that surrounded CFCs approximately two decades ago.

At the time there was much controversy surrounding the environmentally harmful effects of CFCs, however a worldwide treaty banning their production was signed in 1987. As a result of this definitive action the ozone hole over the Antarctic improved, demonstrating the merit of effective worldwide action. It would appear that similar action is required in regard to climate change. While there is still much debate surrounding the magnitude of climate change, effective action is required to mitigate its increasingly dire effects.

Croydon Conservation Society Film Night: An Inconvenient Truth and the End of Suburbia

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Urban sustainability and the environment have continued to remain at the forefront of the Maroondah community with the Croydon Conservation Society holding a film night, showcasing Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and the End of Suburbia.

An Inconvenient Truth is a documentary surrounding former US Vice-President Al Gore’s presentation on climate change. Through the presentation Al Gore explores the impact of climate change on ocean levels, the polar ice caps and the migration trends and habitat of wildlife. In particular Al Gore stresses the need for immediate action to curb greenhouse emissions and draws a comparison between the worldwide action that resulted in the agreement to phase out CFCs. The phasing out of CFCs came into force in 1989 through the Montreal Treaty of 1987 and has often been hailed as one of the most successful international treaties in regard to its commitment and implementation.

It is interesting to note that at the time there was much controversy surrounding the effects of CFCs and the needs for a treaty, a situation that appears to have repeated itself in regard to climate change and the Kyoto treaty.

The second documentary, The End of Suburbia explores Peak Oil and the ramifications that rising petrol prices and the end of cheap fuel will have on suburbia. Peak Oil, where the supply of oil is unable to cater to rising demand, has risen in prominence within Australia due largely to overall trend of rising petrol prices. In particular the film explores why alternative fuels cannot simply substitute the current dependence on oil meaning that sustainable forms of transport such as public transport will be need to be improved. Hydrogen is a net energy loser (since it consumes more energy in its production than it actually provides) and biodiesels, such as ethanol, would currently require all agriculture land currently used for food production to be diverted to fuel production, obviously leaving a chronic shortfall in food sources. Evidence of this is already seen within a number of developing countries that have experienced rising food prices due to the increase of biodiesel production at the expense of food production.

While debate may still surround climate change and peak oil, the discussion is shifting from one of doubt to one of questioning the magnitude of when these events will occur. In this regard it seems imperative to begin mitigating the risks associated with both climate change and peak oil.

Croydon Conservation Society Film Night

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The Croydon Conservation Society is holding a community screening of the Al Gore film An Inconvenient Truth followed by the End of Suburbia.

An Inconvenient Truth explores the mounting evidence that confirms that humans are contributing to climate change and the End of Suburbia explores the concept of peak oil, which is where demand for oil exceeds the limited supply that is available.

Details:

The films will be screened at Luther College, Plymouth Road Croydon. (Melway: 36 H12 or bus route 366 from Ringwood or Croydon Stations).

Manningham sees the 'End of Suburbia'

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This evening the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA), in conjunction with Manningham City Council, held a screening of the End of Suburbia to supplement the Destination Doncaster Launch.

Chris Trikilis, the PTUA’s Doncaster Coordinator, accompanied myself as Vice-President and Manningham City Councillor Grace La Vella in providing an overview of the film and highlighting the ramifications of continued public transport neglect within Doncaster and Manningham.

Manningham is the only municipality in Melbourne that lacks any form of rail access. The extension of tram 48 with a restructuring of the bus network would not only provide greater transport choice but would also spur much needed investment within Doncaster Hill. As demonstrated in Box Hill, the extension of tram route 109 to Box Hill rejuvenated the town centre, extending tram 48 for Doncaster would provide a similar effect for Manningham.

Chris Trikils and Alex Makin presenting the Doncaster End of Suburbia screening

In the longer term heavy-rail via the Eastern Freeway is the only viable alternative to ensuring quick and efficient journeys into the CBD and inner suburbs. Manningham has a similar population density and size to Glen Waverley and yet its needs are constantly being overlooked.

It is time for all political parties to deliver urgent public transport improvements to Manningham.

End of Suburbia Screening: Melbourne's South East

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Melbourne’s southeast viewed the End of Suburbia with the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) hosting a free screening of the documentary in Noble Park.

With a large turnout and keen interest from the community Melbourne’s south east has been particularly hard hit with rising petrol prices which are causing further strains on household finances.

End of Suburbia Screening for Melbourne's southeast

The following comments were written as an opinion piece for the Springvale and Dandenong Leaders and served to introduce the film and need for fast, efficient, direct and readily available public transport in Melbourne’s rapidly expanding southeastern suburbs:

Public Transport campaigner Alex Makin says the State government has missed the bus when it comes to serving commuters:

Public transport in Dandenong fails to meet current needs and is therefore abysmally inadequate to serve Melbourne’s fastest growing urban area.

One in ten Dandenong residents do not drive and yet public transport in the form of bus services, often fail to operate during evenings or on weekends.

Bus services have not been holistically restructured since their inception and as a result many journeys are convoluted and simply uncompetitive with car travel. The minimum standards for buses, which are to be introduced by the government, are still woefully inadequate.

While a bus in Dandenong may – in four years time – run to an hourly schedule, this is nothing compared to what is offered in suburbs such as Toorak or Malvern which enjoy frequent public transport seven days a week through to midnight.

Rail services on the Dandenong line, serving the growing areas of Pakenham and Cranbourne, have the worst frequencies compared to the rest of Melbourne. Nowhere else do people need to wait up until an hour for a train.

With rising petrol prices, Dandenong needs now more than ever a public transport system that is direct, frequent and readily available.

Dandenong and the southeast should expect nothing less. Residents must demand better.

CEDA on Peak Oil

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The Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) is a not-for-profit independent think tank that aims to promote Australia’s economic development in a sustainable and socially balanced way.

Amid the growing concern of rising petrol prices CEDA organised a seminar with Chris Skrebowski, a leading oil analyst who has a background as an oil journalist and a planner and analyst within the industry.

Chirs Skrebowski spoke about peak oil, which is when global oil production begins an inevitable decline because new oil fields cannot offset declining production from ageing fields. Chris Skrebowski’s research has indicated that peak oil is likely to occur in 2010 and possibly sooner depending on the accuracy of oil supplies within the Middle East.

The debate surrounding peak oil has shifted from being a question of IF to WHEN. There is now general consensus that peak oil is real and will occur generally sooner rather than later. This will of course have serious repercussions for Melbourne, Australia and the world.

While alternative fuels obviously have a role to play, it is clear that alternatives such as bio-diesel or hydrogen will not be able to directly replace oil. It will therefore be imperative that fuel sources are used as efficiency as possible requiring increased prominence for public transport.

With no major rail extensions and inadequate bus services, the State Government has failed to adequately respond to the questions surrounding petrol prices. People, particularly in the outer suburbs, are already experiencing increasing financial hardship due to rising petrol prices and yet the government has failed to provide frequent, direct and readily available bus services to the two-thirds of Melbourne located beyond the rail network.

The State Government’s Bus Plan (which was never officially released despite being a key document of Melbourne 2030) clearly stated that a fifteen-minute frequency for direct bus services along Melbourne’s major roads was required to encourage a modal shift towards public transport. Unfortunately the State Government has provided Melbourne’s outer suburbs with nothing more than minimum service levels of an hourly frequency.

The State Government has had ample opportunity to plan for Melbourne’s future transport needs and yet time and time Melbourne has continually been disappointed. With predictions of ever increasing petrol prices the time to act is quickly running out.

Blackburn and The End of Suburbia

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Following the success of the Rowville End of Suburbia screening the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) in conjunction with Environment Victoria (EV) and Friends of the Earth hosted an End of Suburbia screening in Blackburn at the Blackburn Lake Visitors Centre.

Like Rowville the event attracted almost 100 attendees and was followed by discussion from the public. Short presentations were also featured by myself, as PTUA outer east branch convener and Dr. Sherry Mayo of the Australian Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO).

Addressing the audience at Blackburn with Dr. Sherry Mayo

ASPO-Australia is an association of researchers, professionals and others with an interest in the study of peak oil and is part of a wider network of organisations affiliated with the original Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas.Since the Rowville screening of the End of Suburbia discussion in regard to the causes behind rising petrol prices has progress significantly with Four Corners on the ABC conducting a report on Peak Oil.

With transport costs being on average one of the highest items in a household budget, around 15% of costs but as high as 20% in suburbs poorly by public transport, it is clear that rising petrol prices are causing considerable strain on household budgets and that an alternative to car dependence is urgently required.

Please continue reading to view a transcript of my speech delivered this screening of the End of Suburbia.

Continue reading “Blackburn and The End of Suburbia”

Rowville End Of Suburbia Screening

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Rowville located within Melbourne’s outer east has a history of being long neglected in regard to the provision of public transport. Despite Rowville’s current situation as a public transport wasteland historically this was not supposed to be the case with plans for the construction of the Rowville rail line first proposed in 1969 via an extension from either Glen Waverley or Huntingdale.

While the John Cain government sold the reservation beyond the Glen Waverley line, the reservation to Rowville via Huntingdale still exists within the Wellington Road median.

In 1999 the then Bracks Opposition promised as part of its commitment to the outer east to “address the fixed infrastructure requirements for the region and in particular identify a preferred train route to Rowville via Glen Waverley or Huntingdale” (Rebuilding a Transport Network, Labor’s Plan, 1999). Six years later the Bracks Government has still failed to deliver a feasibility study into the Rowville rail line.

Due to continued inaction from the State Government Knox City Council conducted a pre-feasibility study into the Rowville rail line in 2004. The study found that the line was feasible and could be constructed from Huntingdale with very little land acquisition.

This Sunday the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA), Environment Victoria (EV) and Knox Environment Society (KES) held a free screening of the documentary the End of Suburbia which explores the consequences of a limited oil supply which is resulting in rising petrol prices and the corresponding financial hardship on suburban life.

Rowville End of Suburbia Screening - Audience and facilitators

With just under 100 people in attendance it is clear that the Rowville community is demanding better public transport to alleviate car dependence and social isolation.

The State Government must not continue to bury its head in the sand and ignore the needs of outer metropolitan Melbourne.

It is time to deliver real results and substantial public transport improvements to Melbourne’s outer suburbs.