Someone linked earlier to an article about why they couldn’t…
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Yes I did link the article but I disagreed with the government leaving the bridge alone. Given it spent tens of billions of dollars on big projects like West Gate Tunnel and North East Link, surely it can afford to start a new program of removal of bridges with low height clearances across Melbourne, including Montague Street.
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For the handful of crashes into it, huge money spent on raising everything up wouldn’t be justified - it’s the sort of thing where you’d just close the road instead.
The West Gate Tunnel and North East Link are already on shaky ground on a cost benefit. The East-West link made far more sense as a ‘missing link’ project, but it’s easy to win nimby votes. The arguments that the money should have been spent on public transit instead fall down when the end result was two much more expensive toll roads being built instead.
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There has been two accidents just this week with the bridge.
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Friends in US sending out images of the cost of “gas” over there; some places they are getting close to levels in Australia - after converting from gallons and US$, quite unprecedented. Not all places though with huge variance across that country.
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Petrol in Australia is not that expensive compared to many European countries. Which never made sense to me as some European countries also refine oil however all our oil comes from Singapore. As per Countries by Petrol Prices - StatisticsTimes.com
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California’s prices are now equal to or higher than Australia - close to the equivalent of AU$2.20/L up to AU$2.50/L, particularly in the big cities (SF / LA).
The rest of the West Coast and the North East are also getting very close to equalling Australian prices.
The south and the mid-west are still more around the AU $1.20 - $1.50/L mark.
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Average California prices work out to be about AUD $1.90 per litre, but when you factor in the lower wages in the US, fuel prices are probably at least as high as they are here, if not higher.
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Also see:
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Good to see, but the $58 000 maximum is a bit low. Many EVs will exceed that, as always with new tech the initial purchase price is higher, but in this case buyers will save ongoing running and service costs (hardly any moving parts compared to a combustion vehicle).
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With the talk around reducing the fuel excise temporarily as a result of the current fuel crisis, I’ve had a thought that perhaps this is a good opportunity to incentivise the much-maligned E10. It has a perception (fairly or unfairly) of being inferior to 91 unleaded and the price difference is usually only 5-10 cents a litre.
If you slashed the excise on E10 only you would see it become perhaps 20-40 cents a litre cheaper- that would be a much more enticing incentive for consumers to give it a chance and also addresses the cost of living concerns by providing consumers with a cheaper alternative.
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It’s a good idea but i doubt the libs will go for it.
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I’m personally not too affected by fuel prices as I generally don’t drive too much and usually cycle to work. I also have a very economical car. 3 cylinder turbo Ford Focus that goes like the clappers but sips fuel - albeit 95 RON.
Also I’m happy to pay more if it screws Putin even just a little. I think people should try to consider the greater good.
What I will say however is I hope it makes some people reconsider their vehicle choices. A family of 4 does not need a Prado to potter around the suburbs. While some SUVs are reasonably fuel efficient they still use more than the likes of a Corolla.
I live in an inner suburb and it’s completely swamped with giant SUVs. Don’t buy an $80,000 or $100,000 SUV you don’t need and complain about fuel prices.
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Neither my current nor previous two cars could use E10 because they require a minimum 95 RON, but E10 is only 94 RON.
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my partner’s car cant use E10 either because it requires a minimum of 95 RON. my father’s car can use E10 but because of what was happening with E10 when it first came out has staired clear of it
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E10 is not universally available nationwide (doesn’t exist at all in WA and NT for instance).
I’m surprised the QLD govt hasn’t already pushed for such an incentive.
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But with recent natural disasters, the impacts of COVID still lingering and prices of many other goods and services increasing, this does add to the woes for some.
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Of course. But still pales in comparison to what people in Ukraine are enduring.
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