A long bow? Petrol, the Torres Strait, the multi-speed economy, and broadband ;)
Tonight’s 7.30 Report story about the disproportionate impact of high fuel prices in the Torres Strait was excellent. While a lot of the coverage of rising energy prices has concentrated on impacts on metropolitan commuters, and the he-said she-said antics of Governments and Oppositions on who’s to blame, this showed us how much is at stake in parts of Australia where the economy is configured quite differently to cities or mining boom-towns.
In short, petrol is approaching $3 a litre on some islands. In the Strait, the main means of transport is the tinnie” - small aluminium motor boats. When petrol prices hit these levels, it affects the prospects of one of the main sources of employment in the region outside government services, the fishing industry. It also affects people’s ability to access markets for their goods, basic services, and the price of fresh fruit and vegetables. The 7.30 Report yarn made it clear that the viability of these communities is important for the rest of us too - along with preserving an amazing, unique cultural heritage, strong communities in our northernmost islands help with border security, customs and quarantine control.
But we shouldn’t have to rely on the MSM to convey all this to us in the occasional feature. It would be great if there were more people on the ground providing hyperlocal coverage of the issues affecting the Islands. This isn’t just a matter of infrastructure, but of literacy, and of actively promoting and evangelising the use of blogs and other open publishing platforms.
The State, obviously, is better-placed than anyone to do this in remote communities. That’s why I’m hoping that, along with the current emphasis on security, the Government will start to avidly spruik the potential of open publishing technologies for remote communities, so we can all get a better idea of the challenges facing our sprawling, multi-speed national economy
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