Perseus

I have been unable to find the info that you request. I have tried a number of sites. The ABS site looked promising. It seemed that I could request the exact info that we need. But all I got in response was a automated reply, which didn’t in any way address the issue.

The Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission is conducting an inquiry into transport congestion. The Commonwealth has decreed that Fuel Tax revenue has no relevance to funds it allocates for roads although that was the purpose for which it was introduced. Most of the cost associated with congestion arises from grid locked road traffic. If these costs can be quantified, those who benefit from alleviation of this problem can also be identified. Few outside the metropolitan area have registered any concern at the potential impact on the funds that they need to maintain roads and other services to country people should State/Commonwealth funds be so allocated as less than 100 submissions have been made..
The problem for country people is that the terms of reference were drawn up by city people, the Commissioners and staff are almost certainly city people, the bulk of the evidence will be given by city people, many submissions coming from highly paid consultants or staff employed by very wealthy municipal councils. Those who will be most disadvantaged are trying to deal with other issues, such as bushfires and drought, and local government rates four times that of their city competitors. For them, congestion is not a daily problem.
The most likely argument is that Melbourne's congestion can be solved or alleviated by improving its public transport network. It has been stated by governments in the past that the purpose of the public transport subsidy is to relieve the pressure for more money to be spent on roads. The fact that Melbourne's train and tram network already costs Victorians $2,146,000,000 per annum to run is unlikely to be mentioned. (N.B. See Victorian Auditor General's Report to Parliament in Sept 2005. A search of media outlets a month later returned 0 hits on this fact.) To have this enormous amount allocated year after year and then demand more funds for freeways is double dipping into taxpayers' funds. There is strong evidence that Melbourne is not only getting a far larger share of the cake than it deserves, it is grabbing all the cream as well.

Shonga

Oh Shaaaaahhhhnga

Why do we need a new state of NQ??

Shonga

oooh Shaun

whydoweneedanewstateforNQ?

Shonga

ahoy Shauneee

whydaweneedanustateforNQ??

Ahoy Shonga (:>{})

WhydaweneedanewstateforNQ?

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=4283#36429

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=4283#36555