Due to lack of patronage and anger of motorists about changed traffic conditions in and around Sydney’s Cross City Tunnel a Parliamentary inquiry was set up in December 2005
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/Committee.nsf/0/A69743663274E980CA2570C10082D5D2
to investigate contract negotiations, community consultations, the methodology used by the RTA and how Government agencies entered into private public partnership agreements.
In my submission #8 I listed all peak oil warnings which were ignored during the decision making process, all together 13 warnings, in this table:
|
Peak Oil Warnings |
# |
Cross City Tunnel History |
| 1995: The World’s Oil Supply 1930-2050; Petroconsultants. CJ Campbell and JH Laherrere warned that coil production will peak by or after 2000, followed by permanent decline |
1 |
|
| March 1998: The Scientific American publishes Campbell / Laherrere’s article “The End of Cheap Oil”.
Nov. 1998: Chartered Institute of Transport in Australia, National Symposium, Launceston. Brian J Fleay analyses the topic: “Climaxing Oil. How will transport adapt?” |
2 3 |
1998: As part of “Action for Transport 2010” a road tunnel under the CBD was proposed. Concept design started by RTA |
| July 1999: C.J. Campbell presents to the House of Commons All Party Committee “The imminent peak of world oil production” |
4 |
|
| Apr. 2000: The US Department of Energy puts on its web site the slide show “Long Term World Oil Supply”, based on the USGS 2000 mean estimate, showing a possible peak in 2016 under the assumption of moderate decline rates after the peak. www.eia.doe.gov
May 2000: J.Laherrere publishes “Is USGS 2000 Assessment Reliable?” |
5 6 |
Aug. 2000: RTA releases EIS Sep. 2000: RTA calls for tender even before public exhibition closes |
| Fall 2001: K.Deffeyes, Professor at Princeton University, publishes his book “Hubbert’s Peak, The Impending World Oil Shortage”, forecasting a peak in 2005, but not later than 2009.
Dec 2001: Australian Energy News reports about a visit of Les Magoon (USGS) to Australia in an article entitled “Oil production curve cause for concern” |
7 |
Oct 2001: Minister of Planning approves EIS |
| Jan 2002; Matt Simmons; The World’s Giant Oilfields, Hubbert Center Newsletter 2002/1 |
8 |
Feb. 2002: Cross City Motorway Consortium announced as preferred proponent |
| Mar 2002: Woodside Petroleum CEO Akehurst informs shareholders of Australian oil decline: www.woodside.com.au/NR/Woodside/ investorpack/SG3682_3_ABARE.pdf |
9 |
|
| May 2002: Matthew Simmons: „Depletion and US Energy policy”, International Workshop on oil depletion, Uppsala Sweden |
10 |
|
| Jun 2002: Bruce Robinson on Australia’s oil vulnerability |
11 |
July 2002: Supplementary EIS put on display |
| Sep 2002: The Sydney Morning Herald publishes an article entitled “The oil war”
Oct 2002: CSIRO’s „Future Dilemmas“ highlights serious physical constraints in Australia’s economy: |
12 13 |
Nov. 2002: Supplementary Representations Report released for public consumption |
| Dec. 2002: Minister for Planning approves “Approved Activity” |
My submission #8 is here:
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/Committee.nsf/0/7AF905745474FB08CA25710000165A8A