19th May 2006
Dear Mrs. Bax,
I write in response to your email dated 27 April concerning the article on peak oil that recently appeared in The Age.
There certainly seems to be no consensus amongst scientists as to if and when peak oil is reached but I believe the question is irrelevant. Regardless of whether they are powered by wind, water, hydrogen or woodchips I'm convinced that a large number of people will still use motor vehicles for private and business use.
This position has been reinforced by conversations I've had with fuel distributors who say that the amount of fuel being sold has gone up even though the cost has increased considerably. the number of people using Council's roads has also been increasing, not decreasing over the past couple of years.
I truly believe that a balanced approach to transport planning is required. Investment in road infra-structure is required to cater for the increasing use of motor vehicles but boosting public transport is also required if we are to avoid traffic gridlock by the 1,000 people who are moving to South East Queensland each week.
Since my election I have doubled the bus purchase programme of the previous Labour Administration. A new bus enters service every 4 working days and the number of air-conditioned buses has also been increased from 34% to over 66% of the fleet. The result of this huge investment has been an increase in patronage of over 22% in just 2 years.
Thankyou for the opportunity to explain my balanced transport plan for Brisbane.
Yours sincerely,
Campbell Newman
Lord Mayor
23rd May 2006
Dear Campbell,
For someone entrusted with the spending of billions of dollars on your own personal "Baby" (so to speak) - the Brisbane North South Bypass Tunnel, your ignorance of the most basic facts is breathtaking, and extremely worrying. You say:-
"There certainly seems to be no consensus amongst scientists as to if and when peak oil is reached . . ."
This is completely incorrect, there is total and universal consensus that Global oil will "Peak," there's no "If" about it. I only have to point you in the direction of the very recent USA Government "Hirsch Report" to demonstrate this. Please read and digest this summary of Robert L. Hirsch's October 2005 report:-
http://acus.org/docs/051007-Hirsch_World_Oil_Production.pdf
The title's pretty self explanatory though, might even give you some clues. Goes like this:-
"The Inevitable Peaking of World Oil Production"
It's also endearing to hear you have "Boys Own" faith in "Wind, water, hydrogen or woodchips" powering our cars before global oil depletion sets in, but as even the most way out "Optimists" say "Peak" is arriving in about a decade (Yergin, of Cambrige Energy Associates - as quoted by Robert L. Hirsch), I'm afraid I can't share your touching beliefs.
As for oil sales and car journeys going up, as depletion sets in - that's crazy. As multi-millionaire energy Matt Simmons very sensibly says:-
"Oil use will always equal supply plus stock liquidation."
Check out page 20 of this Power Point presentation (via Simmons & Company International):-
http://www.simmonsco-intl.com/files/OTC%202005%20The%20Big%20Energy%20Surprise%20B&W.pdf
And Matt Simmons re-iterates this point in this recent DVD, "Imposed by Nature":-
http://www.postcarbon.org/node/404
Matt Simmons is an energy banker of many, many years experience - and has made a considerable fortune in the industry. He is also a Republican, and a former Bush energy advisor.
Well, Campbell - here's something for you to digest. You're not using a cent of my pension money on this doomed mega-project without the biggest fight you've ever seen. I would refer you to this correspondence of mine:-
http://www.kimspages.org/qsuperletter.htm
If you think I'm letting someone who thinks "Wind, water, hydrogen or woodchips" will power cars in the near future (and is also clueless about the basic facts of "Peak Oil"), anywhere near my cash - well, you have another thing coming . . . .
Regards, Kim