Congestion – Choking Australia’s economy.

Surging oil prices and the release of the Garnaut Review’s draft report on climate change and Emissions Trading Scheme have again fuelled debate about petrol prices. A risk is this debate will shift towards providing short-term relief at the bowser at the expense of the long-term well-being of the economy and the environment.
While a simple cut in petrol tax would no-doubt be welcomed by motorists feeling the pinch, the real opportunities for governments are in implementing broad strategies to create a more sustainable transport system, with the effect of helping to keep a lid on motoring costs and benefitting the environment.
As a society, we must continue to introduce measures to reduce fuel consumption and the emissions of all vehicles, reduce the demand for travel and provide better opportunities for the community to use public transport. Many of these measures are well underway, but more is needed.