Everyone seems to agree that a five-cent-per-litre reduction in the fuel excise on petrol is not a significant amount. However, this five cent reduction would cost the country billions of dollars each year. We all want to reduce our fuel bill (and our grocery bill) as well as reduce carbon emission and pollution, but how can this be achieved both in the short term and over the next 10, 20 and 50 years? I believe the problem we are all facing is not the price of petrol, but the limit of alternatives.

I went to a Catholic primary school, and from my own experience, religion pervaded every single day. From Grade One we prayed before meal times, we prayed at weekly assemblies and on parade. There were school masses and class liturgies each term and every time someone was introduced to us, we would say, ‘Good morning, God bless you’. Religion in primary school isn’t simply taught as another subject like mathematics or geography - which was discussed for an hour and then quickly forgotten when we all went out to play football at lunch - religion is a way of life at school, a way of talking to children.

Toowoomba is renowned for its green image, its peaceful parks and gardens and relaxed country atmosphere. We’ve just been named Australia’s Tidiest Town. Whoopie doo! However, sitting in traffic this week and shedding a tear as I drove down tree-free Ruthven Street, I felt that Toowoomba’s green image is close to being lost. Add the drought and those shameful, polluting buses, that are our public transport system, and I was feeling pessimistic.

We recently received our water bill: $25.00. Over the six month period (186 days), the four people that live in our house used 40 kilolitres. That’s around 215 litres per day, or 53 litres per person per day. Now, I am about to argue something that mightn’t be all that popular. Water charges are too low!