[Greens-Media] MEDIA RELEASE - SENATOR CHRISTINE MILNE - Greens call for strategy to oil-proof Australia in response to high petrol prices

[Willis, Katrina (Sen C. Milne)]

MEDIA RELEASE

Monday, 7 August 2006

Greens call for strategy to oil-proof Aust in response to high petrol
prices

Prime Minister John Howard needs to stop offering a dim hope of lower
petrol prices and start working on a strategy to reduce Australia's
dependence on oil, the Australian Greens said today.

Greens energy spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said that after 10
years the coalition government had failed to recognise the risk to
Australia from our increasing dependence on imported oil and the looming
global crunch posed by Peak Oil.

"Prime Minister Howard has done next to nothing to ready the country for
the age of dwindling oil supply and high oil prices, and as a result
Australians are feeling the pinch," Senator Milne said in Canberra.

"High oil prices will flow through the economy, adding to inflationary
pressures of the recent round of income tax cuts that went mostly to
high income earners. In the meantime, Australians on low incomes, on the
edges of cities, and in regional and rural communities are hurting.

"The Greens identified the oil crisis as one of the greatest risks to
the Australian economy. That's why we pushed for the Senate oil inquiry.

"We need a strategy to oil-proof Australia, not a short-term political
fix or the misplaced hope that oil prices will fall.

"Prime Minister Howard should immediately:
	*	Begin the process to redesign Australian cities, with
huge investment in public transport.
	*	Remove the GST on public transport. This would have the
added benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
	*	Make vehicle fuel efficiency standards mandatory.
	*	Provide a rebate to individuals and businesses for the
cost of converting vehicles from petrol to LPG and natural gas. 
	*	Invest in the development of alternative fuels, and the
distribution network to make them easily accessible.
	*	Remove the barriers to the importation of electric
vehicles and convert the government's car fleet to more fuel efficient
vehicles."

Contact: Katrina Willis 03 6234 4566 or 0437 587 562


Katrina Willis
Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
Phone 03 6234 4566
Fax 03 6234 2144
Mobile 0437 587 562
www.christinemilne.org.au