From: Margzehntner@aol.com
Sent: Monday, 19 January 2004 4:12 PM
To: ECITA, Committee (SEN)
Subject: Kyoto Protocol Ratification Bill 2003 [No.2] - Committee 4 March 2004
Margaret Zehntner
PO Box 62
Kuranda Qld 4872
4 January 2004
Michael McLean, Secretary
Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and Arts
Legislation Committee
Parliament House, Canberra, ACT, 2600
Email: ecita.sen@aph.gov.au

Dear Sir.
I am writing in support of the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol Ratification Bill 2003 [No.2] and urge the Senate's Environment, Communications, Information Technology and Arts References Committee to advise that it is in the interest of Australia and its future sustainability to so recommend.  As a private citizen, mother and grandmother I would be happy to testify to the Senate Committee as I feel strongly that Australia is in danger of missing out on economic and employment opportunities and choosing instead high cost unsustainable technologies and options.

My personal experiences highlight the discontinuity between the Federal Government's rhetoric on voluntary reduction of greenhouse emissions with the planning and projects undertaken by various Government Departments and industry.    Thus are quite legal but ecologically suicidal process not only perpetuated but locked firmly into future systems.

  Our children and grandchildren will face an even greater cost to undo current shortsighted developments than if we are to plan and act now for a sustainable future.   Confronted by confused and confusing messages from a government in thrall to the fossil fuel and mining lobbies, it becomes impossible for industry to plan and invest with confidence.  In the short term investment is stultified as industry leaders recognize they face an inevitable backflip of policy at some future, desperate time.  This will come at far higher cost than gradual planning and development for sustainability

Let me give an example from my current situation.  The Main Roads Department of Queensland is currently planning  $500 million upgrade of the Kuranda Range road, about 12 kms, most of this through Wet Tropics World Heritage rainforest. Expected to take 10 years to construct, the road planners proudly point to an increase in traffic from 6,500 to 40,000 vehicles per day, an increased speed limit of 95 kph, 4 lanes (3 times the width of the rainforest currently cleared ) and double-bogey trucks.   Bridges over wildlife corridors and a noise barrier for Kuranda village are offered to mitigate environmental requirements and concerns.

There appears to be no recognition that such an increase in vehicular traffic in totally at odds with the need to reduce vehicular emissions.  There is no consideration of improving public transport or of upgrading the existing rail for freighting much that is now trucked.  There is no consideration of the shortsightedness of putting housing developments in fragile, drought affected areas that lack any infrastructure other than the proposed road.   There is no mention that the projected growth figures are outdated and no longer reliable.  There is no mention of enforcing current speed limits, the flouting of which is widespread and life threatening for all road users. Thus are people locked into total dependence on long-distance, private-vehicle transport.

There is a disregard for improving the already inadequately resourced services in existing centers. One small example.  Kuranda has no swimming pool.   There is no access to or safe swimming place in the river close to the town.  Many high school children are unsure if they can swim. [In Australia, 2004, this borders on criminal negligence. ] There is no high school aquatics program as bussing children to Mareeba is too costly.   Many of these children are Aboriginal with little or no access to transport.  A 4-lane highway will be of little benefit to them.  A pool could ensure all Kuranda children are safe, strong swimmers and reduce range road traffic as better-off families now commute to access swimming lessons for their children.

The cost of the proposed range road upgrade will be at the expense of improving local infrastructure and services.  Only those with fast vehicles and the road transport companies will be advantaged by what is in effect a $500 million subsidy to the fossil fuel and automobile industries.   Significant numbers of our community, especially children, the aged and Aboriginal groups, will be disadvantaged further.  With minor, less costly improvements such as some additional overtaking lanes and the use of speed cameras, the present road is more than adequate.

This one local example highlights the increasing discontinuity between the direction Australia needs to be heading and the quite legal planning and development actually taking place.  We, the citizens of Australia, need a clear, unambiguous direction from our Federal government.  We need a vision of a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.  We need a government committed to sustainability through legislation.  We need ratification of the Kyoto Protocol  to be the first step on this journey.

Yours sincerely, Margaret Zehntner