Proposal for Hosting Towards Carfree Cities VII - Melbourne, Australia
a. who you are; what organisation(s) are you with
Genevieve O'Connell from Melbourne Australia.
I attended Towards Carfree Cities (TCFC) in Budapest this year and was impressed with the mix of activists from many countries, and thought that it would be inspiring to have the next possible conference in Melbourne.
As an environmental activist and Masters student, I have developed a wide network of contacts with not-for-profit non-government organisations, campaigners and university academics in Melbourne. I am an experienced organiser of environmental and health campaigns, and last year I coordinated events in Melbourne for an international guest speaker on environmental pollutants. This year I received a travel grant from RMIT University to pursue research on a range of sustainability issues in Vienna Austria, and met Hermann Knoflacher and other people and organisations working on transport issues in Vienna and Graz. My contact with Friends of the Earth (FoE) Melbourne helped me form links with Global 2000 in Vienna. I am very interested in making international connections and learning what works well in various locations and how this can be applied locally.
I have been an active member of the Australian Greens party, and stood as a candidate in the last Victorian State Election 2002 where I campaigned for better public transport, instead of a proposed freeway.
FoE Melbourne is keen to be a main host organisation for TCFC and to promote car-free living and sustainable transport within the broader scope of its vision. Cam Walker (FoE Australia's national liaison officer) can be contacted at cam.walker@foe.org.au and for details of FoE see: http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/
RMIT University situated in central Melbourne has offered to provide conference facilities and assist with a budget for the event.
b. what resources, skills and time are being offered (fundraising, programme work, outreach, office space, etc.)
- office space and equipment for conference organiser and volunteers
- grant submissions for conference funding
- modern conference facilities in a central location in the city
- organic vegan food at an affordable price (Food Not Bombs)
- student hostel accommodation within easy reach of the conference centre, plus home stays with people living in inner Melbourne
- local speakers and international contacts, involving as many transport activists as possible from around Australia
- interesting social events for conference participants, with a strong activist scene in Melbourne and lots of musicians and artists
- coordinate conference with a Critical Mass ride on the last Friday of the month
c. what groups would be partners; what other useful contacts you have
Here is a list of possible partners with an interest in sustainable car-free transport:
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) Sustainable Transport; Sustainable Living Foundation (SLF); Environment Victoria (EV); Australian Greens; Public Transport Users Association (PTUA); Metropolitan Transport Forum (MTF); Fraser Brindley Melbourne City Councillor; JA Grant & Associates - Dr John Grant consultant; Yarraville Residents Traffic Group (YRTG); SCOPE disability support organisation; TravelSmart (Department of Infrastructure); Metlink; VicHealth; Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO).
University academics and researchers at RMIT including Prof John Fien and Dr Jan Scheurer, The University of Melbourne Prof Nick Low and Dr Paul Mees, Monash University Prof Frank Fisher and Chair of Public Transport Graham Curry, Deakin University Dr Jan Garrard, Australian Institute of Urban Studies David Mayes, Institute for Sustainability & Technology Policy (Murdoch University Perth) Prof Peter Newman, Institute for Sustainable Futures (University of Technology Sydney), Sustainable Transport Coalition Perth. Also, Students of Sustainability (SoS) and university environmental groups.
Media contacts include Community radio 3CR; 3RRR; Southern FM; ABC Radio; Melbourne Indymedia; freelance journalists; TV and film documentary makers.
d. why the conference should be held in your city
There are specific grassroots groups in Melbourne devoted to sustainable transport options, as well as academics and professional people who are trying to change the entrenched car culture in Australia's cities. Melbourne has a vibrant activist scene, which can send out ripple effects to other parts of the country. Everyone I have spoken to about holding TCFC here is excited and very enthusiastic about the idea.
Being in Budapest for the conference this year, reminded me that what we lack in Australia at environmental conferences and festivals is the opportunity to meet activists from other countries. Having the TCFC VII conference in Melbourne would be stimulating for us here, and an invitation for visitors from the WCN to see the reality of what our city officials claim is the world's most livable city! It would be a good chance for international visitors to see the unique and incredible ecosystems and wildlife in Australia, including day trips from Melbourne to beautiful beaches and coastal areas and cool temperate rainforests and old growth forests. Many of these areas are under threat from pollution, dredging and logging.
In urban Australia, transport vehicles are the greatest source of atmospheric pollutants and these emissions are among the world's highest per capita. Australia has the unenviable reputation of producing the highest rate of greenhouse gases per capita in the industrialised world, with Victoria polluting more per capita than the US. So, I think it is time to put pressure on our complacent governments by bringing the TCFC conference to Melbourne in 2007. This would help hold the transport planners and government department VicRoads to account for its future priorities, and in delivering ecologically sustainable development.
Melbourne, in particular, has an extensive rail network, which has been neglected for the heavy government funding of road infrastructure and more freeways. With the urban sprawl of Australia's second largest city, there is much that could be done to improve public transport and plan less car-dependent housing, and this conference would be extremely useful in highlighting and progressing change. It is also especially relevant at the moment with the state government's plan for the city 'Melbourne 2030' and its target of 20% of all trips to be taken on public transport by 2020, compared to the current rate of 9%. While only meager resources have been devoted to this objective, it is difficult to see how it will be achieved.
If you would like to read my 10-page research paper on the state government's transport policy and Melbourne 2030, with respect to ecologically sustainable energy use, please let me know and I will email it to you.
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