Comments for People, Productivity, Planet

Comment on Urban decay: the slow death of Melbourne by Latoya Bridges

Latoya Bridges — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:13:44 +0000

I agree! Melbourne is a great city, but leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to PT. Compare Melbourne’s train timetable (one train every 20-30 mins) to Singapore and London (one train every 3-4mins)! How many more people would take the train if they knew there would be a train within 5mins of arriving at the station.! Come-on Melbourne – let’s lift our game and take a step towards becoming an even more “liveable” city.

Comment on Urban decay: the slow death of Melbourne by Marisol Perry

Marisol Perry — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 02:31:56 +0000

> FM, I will admit that the headline is quite dramatic but I think it > is a fair representation of the current situation, especially given > the rate at which Melbourne’s population is growing. And I may or may not agree with the sentiment, but the article could have benefited from a direct exploration of the headline theme linked with the rest of the content. > A few thoughts on how our public transport might be improved, which > stem from my own experience: A good list of notions, which few would not like to have (in Melbourne or other cities). Though as you say there aren’t necessarily any easy suggestions, which implies the key issue – funding. How much are people willing to pay through taxation and direct user costs? Under realistic financial constraints, efficiency is king and suggestions must be assessed accordingly. Some desirable things may not be affordable, while potentially unpopular concepts may receive more serious consideration when cost matters. For example, administrative approaches such as instituting more transit lanes, or regulatory approaches such as increasing the cost of private vehicle registration (which may actually generate net revenue). Alternative approaches may not ultimately be chosen but it never hurts to think outside of the box, even if only to reconfirm why the box is shaped the way it is. And along with conventional and unconventional, consideration should include both carrot and stick. (But should not include politicians and their entourages going on “fact-finding missions” or “study tours” of public transport in other countries.) > You make a good point about trams being slow and impeding other road > traffic. Which again leads to the question of whether they are part of the problem. But firstly on the heritage aspect. In my view, only the older trams are iconic. But they are obviously not part of any long-term solution with their high noise, lack of air conditioning and unsuitability for the differently abled, elderly or even just people with lots of shopping. The newer low-floor trams are user-friendly but do not have an iconic design or visual appeal, especially those covered in commercial advertising that prevents passengers and tourists looking out the windows. In all cases, the network of overhead cables is a blight on Melbourne’s aesthetic. Stephen (whose company might hopefully develop a solar-powered tram that needs no overhead cables) asked “how often does a single car impede a tram full of people?” From personal experience catching trams for a number of years, cars generally impede trams only when required to by the layout of the roads (e.g. turning right). The road network was designed for wheeled vehicles and trams are an inflexible afterthought on that infrastructure. It is valid to question that afterthought, whether the answer is yes or no on balance. In my case, with no train access in my area and buses often being too crowded, trams were not an option of choice except in the CBD. A tram is a comparatively poor alternative to a bus, for individuals and for the city. Trams are slow (sometimes taking more than twice as long as a bus) and service few areas that cannot be serviced by buses. They are inflexible, offering very few options for managing capacity responsively and obviously unable to deviate their routes to service exceptional needs. Trams have a constant impact on the road network as opposed to buses, which are normal participants in that network, and compared to trains’ relatively few crossings. Public transport should only get priority when it makes sense. Portions of road can be sealed off for exclusive use by trams but this must be questioned. Why deliberately and inflexibly reduce road capacity, increasing cost and inconvenience to other users, to support an inefficient mode of public transport when there are viable alternatives? The tram is an interesting case, though not so interesting that I meant to or want to write much more about it. There may be a case for it on balance, but it is no surprise that few, if any, other cities around the world have a tram system of the nature and scale of Melbourne’s. There is a heritage aspect to take into account but that cannot guarantee the tram’s place in a long-term public transport solution. Money would be better spent on some of the improvements to buses and trains that Brandy has indicated, and on alternative approaches that could be more effective and efficient, and perhaps even as iconic as trams in the long run. Like the monorails in Ogdenville, North Haverbrook, Brockway and Springfield. The State of Australian Cities 2010 report was released on Friday. See http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/mcu.aspx.

Comment on Ten minutes to midnight: the health of Aboriginal Australia by James Beetson

James Beetson — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 03:38:13 +0000

Thanks for these good responses. I believe that while the spotlight is held firmly on the realities, the will is there to make a difference.

Someone asked in a private email what practical steps need to be taken to redress the education imbalance.

Paul alluded to the need for a cultural exchange that recognises the importance of indigenous knowledge to Australia’s folklore. Denise mentioned that New Australians need also to believe that the mainstream culture will be enriched by a dialogue between the cultures.

It’s not hard to see that a compromise from the mainstream would make a big difference to the enthusiasm of Indigenous Australians and might facilitate a consensus among parents that education of their children is extremely important.

It seems that the process of “recruitment” of parents that have themselves not benefited from a good education can’t be undertaken from the comfort of urban offices; rather it would require grassroots programs conceived and developed at the interface of Indigenous and mainstream societies.

But I would be quickly out of my depth to offer much more to that angle of the discussion.

It would be terrific to hear people’s ideas, for instance, on how schools – both mainstream, Indigenous and mixed – could be modified to facilitate this cultural exchange.

Comment on Ten minutes to midnight: the health of Aboriginal Australia by Denise Shillinglaw

Denise Shillinglaw — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 01:08:23 +0000

There is no issue in Australia (or Australian politics) that is more urgent right now than the health, cultural maintenance and preservation of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. I work in education and recognise the responsilbilities of educators to this culture and the future generations. But we can only do this together; First Australians and New Australians working together and believing together that all our lives will be enriched by this unity.

Comment on Ten minutes to midnight: the health of Aboriginal Australia by Ben Gordon

Ben Gordon — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 05:49:45 +0000

Great article James
It does seem logical that Public health messages are only absorbed if the basic building blocks of health and disease are in place. This process happens at school and is reinforced at home. It takes generations to consolidate.

I have participated in health campaigns run in Indonesia. They are much easier to coordinate and run in comparison to similar campaigns in indigenous Australia. This is because Indonesia has well run (and well attended) schools even in the remotest locations. The basic building blocks are instilled there and as a consequence health messages are more likely to stick. This is despite the fact that the vast majority of Indonesians live in poverty.

Comment on Ten minutes to midnight: the health of Aboriginal Australia by Paul Boon

Paul Boon — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 05:02:02 +0000

Whole heartedly agree James, the need for a deeper understanding of our first nations/indigenous “countryman” is first and foremost to understanding why things have gone so wrong.
Then we need to build an education program that acknowledges their culture and connection to their particular country and then support those who want to make changes in their lives…somewhere inbetween our cultures is the ground where we can all meet, work for self determination and create the Australia we all know is vital for our future as a country leading in this area.
we need to educate the fathers and men as well.

Comment on Health and the internet: the risks and benefits of what lies ahead by Steve

Steve — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:12:50 +0000

Wikileaks is big news, what about transparency in the work place? What place does it have – how many times have you heard of under the table payments, strategic redundancies and promotions based on … Well…

Comment on Ten minutes to midnight: the health of Aboriginal Australia by Jane Thomason

Jane Thomason — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 01:54:38 +0000

It is well known (and supported by evidence) that a key strategy for improving childrens health is to educate their mothers.

Comment on The inside word on digital media by Rachel Wieser

Rachel Wieser — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 03:36:45 +0000

I agree – the key point here is digital communication, when used in the correct context and the appropriate manner – can be a powerful tool for organisational (and personal) communication.
Against the blueprint of a comprehensive communication policy/stratagy, digital media can be an expedient way to disseminate information to geographically disparate groups of people and in a timely manner. It can and should not replace face-to-face communication nor be used for ‘wipeout’ type, one-size-fits-all broadcasts but it undoubtedly offers the most effective way to distribute information to many locations simultaneously.
As Alan points out it is neither a revolutionary panacea for all communication ills nor an all-encompassing way of life that we need necessarily submerge ourselves in – but when selectively and suitably deployed digital media undoubtedly offers many opportunities both personally and professionally.