Thread: Sealing the Cape York Development Road

We don't need to blindly follow the American path to oil fuelled gridlock. We need a bigger more worldly vision that embraces true diversity and innovation. The NBN superhiqhway is more important than the antiquated road, particularly for regional Australia. $200 million.

"More than 50 years ago, Donald Horne was far more acutely aware of technology’s coming ascendancy and its broad implications for Australia’s future than decades of analysis of his work has deliberated upon. The Lucky Country was then, and is now, a sharp critique of a nation lacking in originality and innovation, in a world he viewed as increasingly driven by both. Despite Horne’s warning, the phrase “the lucky country” became a catchcry of national self-congratulation." Financial Review 9 Feb 2017.

Not Like America: How Australia can avoid the Trump effect | afr.com


Australia don't become America... Cranky
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Putting in infrastructure like a tarred road typically creates an immediate increase in the value of associated real estate, and rental prices, which can mean that people on low incomes are economically forced to move to more outerlying areas.

I dont think a tarred road will directly reduce the prices of goods and services very much, but if it brings an increase to tourism and populations, then transport prices may reduce noticeably.

So, all we have to do is fill the continent with development and people, the poorest will live in shantytowns, mental hospitals or prisons, forget about 4wding, offroading, exploring, the outdoors, nature, the climate, ocean levels, scarce resources, pollution, species extinction, oxygen levels, quality of life, etc....

Another interesting thing is that many developed countries now have birthrates below replacement rate. As developing countries industrialise, their birthrates also reduce. This is good for everyone, everyone gets a bigger share of what the planet has to offer, and a better quality of life. Time for people to get their head around new paradyms.

Many people are choosing to migrate here because their home countries are overpopulated. I think there is something to learn from that, and not make the mistakes other countries have made.

Many in sydney can no longer afford a yard, and how long before apartments are measured with tatami mats?

The road already exists and tarring it will vastly improve the safety and usability of the road, We are NOT talking about building a NEW road here.
All this talk about a population explosion and disadvantaging the local population by improving the road is quite frankly rubbish IMHO.

Deleted

Geez, some interesting arguments coming out here. I thought I was supposed to be the resident Greenie, but I'm not even in the race.
I don't think sealing an existing road will lead to rampant consumerism, environmental destruction and the end of civilization as we know it. Actually the environmental destruction is already happening with a major landowner done recently for illegal clearing of a large area.
It's arrogant to say people should just move elsewhere when it's their private land they have been connected to for many generations.
The main benefit of sealing the road would be the food trucks could get to the top and supermarket prices could drop significantly because food no longer had to come by boat. Lower prices should mean better diets and less malnutrition and health problems.
More travellers would certainly go there and that would create jobs in shops, services and national parks etc which would be good.
What else happened would depend on factors such as the strength of local government and the state and federal government's in protecting the environment and regulating planning.
If it's done well it could have have good results.

Originally Posted by trout1105

The road already exists and tarring it will vastly improve the safety and usability of the road, We are NOT talking about building a NEW road here.
All this talk about a population explosion and disadvantaging the local population by improving the road is quite frankly rubbish IMHO.

Yep. Even though the road is bitumen, it's still a long way to the Centrelink office in Cairns

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Geez, some interesting arguments coming out here. I thought I was supposed to be the resident Greenie, but I'm not even in the race.
I don't think sealing an existing road will lead to rampant consumerism, environmental destruction and the end of civilization as we know it. Actually the environmental destruction is already happening with a major landowner done recently for illegal clearing of a large area.
It's arrogant to say people should just move elsewhere when it's their private land they have been connected to for many generations.
The main benefit of sealing the road would be the food trucks could get to the top and supermarket prices could drop significantly because food no longer had to come by boat. Lower prices should mean better diets and less malnutrition and health problems.
More travellers would certainly go there and that would create jobs in shops, services and national parks etc which would be good.
What else happened would depend on factors such as the strength of local government and the state and federal government's in protecting the environment and regulating planning.
If it's done well it could have have good results.

Okay, so if it happens to be that all remote and relatively undeveloped parts of australia contain resident populations of aborigines, then according to you it makes sense to develop them all, and have no undeveloped parts of australia left?

All the way until we tar the Rig Road, the Canning, etc, and get those shops and tourist dollars out to them!

The more tourists you have going up the Cape, the more restrictions will be imposed. The more sanitised it will become. Sell your 4wd now before resale values plummet.

...is this why all new model Land Rovers are primarily highway focussed SUV's.

By the way, the gridlocked road lovin USA currently has 6.6 million people unemployed. Clearly roads aren't the answer to an equitable growth economy.

The unsealed parts of the planet are far more valuable in many ways beyond growth capitalism IMO. ...and more beautiful. It's why I own a Land Rover.

I must say, it's kinda strange hearing pro-bitumen arguments from the Land Rover community.

Cheers