Sustainability

The Clem Jones Tunnel, aka the Clem7, sustainability is being question by many Brisbane citizens as the high costly to build and payment to use it. Clem7 is the first M7 motorway in Brisbane to the further development of motorways for Brisbane. Construction began in September 2006 and was completed in March 2010, two years to the expected due year which was 2012 (Brisbane City Council, 2011).  

(Moore, 2012: the Construction of the Clem7)

However the expected use of the Clem7 tunnel by Brisbane citizens was not what Brisbane City Council expected. In 2012 Tony Moore, a newspaper report, stated that since last June, three months after the complete date, traffic on the Clem7 tunnel has plummeted by 2363 vehicles which is nine per cent of the expected use.  This is because of the high toll price that people must pay for the use of the tunnel. Many people are against the toll price they must pay on top of the rate payment that was estimated to be between $763 million and $773 million for a total of $2.2 billion for the tunnel to be built (Moore, 2010).  On the original report that was done by Moore on the Clem7 struggles a person in July 2012 has commented

               
 “Let these figures send a crystal clear message to our bloodsucking politicians advising them the people are already paying more than enough to use the roads and they don’t want tolls under and circumstances.” (Moore, 2012)

Another person going by the name of Rail Fan posted on the same date that

“These toll roads are a massive waste of money and the taxpayers always end up the losers. The Private Company’s lobbing for these roads always overstate the costs and expected usage [of the tunnel].” (Moore, 2012)

The sustainability of the Clem7 tunnel is always being questioned by the Brisbane citizens. There are also the huge amounts of fines that people who use to use the clem7 for over speeding.

So what is the point of a tunnel that cost $2.2 billion to be built when hardly anybody wants to use it because of the toll being too high and the ridiculous speed fines? With the problems now will the government or even the people change their mind on the future use of the Clem7 tunnel?

 In a personal view about the Clem 7, I think currently the sustainability of the tunnel will plummet unless less costly cost of the use of the tunnel is decrease. For the future of it is believe that it will hold significant use to reduce the motorway system for present and future generation’s needs. The statistic received on the tunnel can help the future generation to understand the sustainability of any future projected constructed. 

Reference List:

Brisbane City Council. (2011). Clem7 construction facts and figures. Retrieved 6 June 2013 from http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/roads-infrastructure-bikeways/tunnels-bridges-major-roads/CLEM7/Construction-facts-figures/index.htm

Moore, T. (2010). THe Clem7, by the numbers. Retrieved 6 June 2013 from http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/the-clem7-by-the-numbers-20100226-p8xp.html

Moore, T. (2012). Clem7 struggles may take toll on Airport Link. Retrieved 6 June 2013 from http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/clem7-struggles-may-take-toll-on-airport-link-20120716-226ks.html

Ten. (2011). Clem 7 "backflip". Retrieved 6 June 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL1-w9hR4dE

Asia and Australia engagement with Asia

There is a history of contact of Asia and Australia engagement with Asia in the pass. Such history would be the Vietnam War in 1955-1975. Australia’s involvement with the war was to support South Vietnam to stop the spread of communism in Asia (Australia and the Vietnam War, 2013). As the spread of communism was noticed within Vietnam other countries such as China, United States, and North and South Korea were involved to either support or were against the communism that was spreading (vietnamwar, 2013).  

During the war Vietnam was split into two countries, South Vietnam known as the Viet Cong ruled by Ngo Dinh Diem, and North Vietnam known as the Viet Ming lead by Ho Chi Minh (wikis, 2007). The map below shows where the country was split and some major events during the war.

Vietnam itself was at war with each other about finally being a independent nation after the distraction of World War two where Vietnam was originally govern by the French (Australia and the Vietnam War, 2013).  Some Vietnamese today still remember the conflict that happened in the Vietnam War, my mother, Lily Wong, for instant left Vietnam in 1977, two years after the war was finished as the conditions there was very bad for her huge family to live in. 

During the war Australia was official involved in 1962-1973, it is longest major conflict know today that Australia was involved in (Australia and the Vietnam War, 2013).  In the early years of Australia’s involvement in the war there were no widely opposed of the involvement, however as the commitment grew people started to oppose. The images below are some anti-war image in 1969 (Migration Heritage, 2010).

 

In Melbourne, Australia in 1971 near the parliament house there was a war protest against sending our soldiers to the war for so long. 

 The Vietnam War is taught about in History class as it is consider an important event in Australia and Asia history. However lessons taught on the Vietnam War most of the information are from secondary sources which were created from primary or historical documents. This part of Australia and Asia history is one of many events that is important for future and current generation to learn that the current nations now had a hard and complicated history.

Reference List:

 Australia and the Vietnam War. (2013). The Vietnam War: Background. Retrieved 6 June 2013 from http://vietnam-war.commemoration.gov.au/vietnam-war/background.php

Australia and the Vietnam War. (2013). The Vietnam War: Overview. Retrieved 6 June 2013 from http://vietnam-war.commemoration.gov.au/vietnam-war/index.php

austvarchive. (2010). Vietnam War Protest - Melbourne, Australia 1971. Retrieved 6 June 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thm03IUiJ6U

Migration Heritage. (2010). 1965 Anti Vietnam War Pendant. Retrieved 6 June 2013 from http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibition/objectsthroughtime/1965-anti-vietnam-war-pendant/

vietnamwar. (2013). What countries invovled in the Vietnam War? Retrieved 6 June 2013 from http://thevietnamwar.info/what-countries-involved-in-the-vietnam-war/

wikis. (2007). Vietnam War (1959-1975). Retrieved 6 June 2013 from https://wikis.nyu.edu/ek6/modernamerica/index.php/Imperialism/ColdWarContainment

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History and Culture

Who actually possessed Australia first?

The history of how Australia was found and who had the rights to it is a complex history. In 1770 when the British ship arrived on the Eastern soil of Australia land, Captain James Cook claimed the entire East Coast of the land that is now known as Australia for the British Empire (Aboriginal Heritage, 2013). Children in school have been taught that Captain Cook ‘discovery’ of Australia was when history of Australia first started. However the land already had Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living on the land for hundreds of years claiming it as their own. Captain Cook already knew that there were natives on the land however he completely discouraged that when he announced he ‘discovered’ Australia (MacIntyre, 2009 p.27).

Aboriginal people descriptions from the Europeans are often known as ‘savage’ and ‘wretched’ people but during Cook’s time on the land he wrote about the natives being happier than the Europeans:

“From what I have said of the Natives of New Holland, they may appear to some to be the most wretched people upon Earth, but in reality they are far more happier than we Europeans; being wholy unacquainted not only with the superfluous but the necessary Conveniences so much sought after in Europe, they are happy in not knowing the use of them.” (MacIntyre, 2009. P.28)

In most classes today the mention of Indigenous people who are the first ever known people today to have founded Australia, is very scarce as people did not care about the viewpoints of the Aboriginal people until the late 20^th century. Today the idea of Captain Cook discovered Australia strikes many people as a false claim as people are questioning, ‘how can you find something that is already known? (MacIntyre, 2009. p.27).

Ever since the Europeans landed, Indigenous Australian have fought, and are still fighting, for their land and the lives of their ancestor who land was stolen by the Europeans to expend their empire more than 200 years ago. As father Dave Passi said in 1990;

“It is my father’s land, my grandfather’s land, my grandmother’s land. I am related to it, it give me my identity. If I don’t fight for it, then I will be moved out of it and [it] will be the loss of my identity.” (australianmuseum, 2012)

With that being said, today many Indigenous people have been demanding their claim for the right to their land that hold a spiritual connection to their ancestors. Aboriginal people who land is sacred to them should have the right to decide what will happen with the land. A cartoon by Bill Leak of the European arrival to Australia was done in 2004 originally founded on the National Museum Australia website.

 The cartoon display a funny point of view of the Aboriginal people rejecting the Europeans access to their land and the Europeans calling them 'Inhumane'. Now isn't that the 'kettle calling the pot black'? Why would it be inhumane for the Aboriginals to reject what the Europeans will do to their land when Indigenous people were the first and not the Europeans that discover Australia?

The view to many Europeans is that Captain Cook was the first person that discover Australia. However from the viewpoint of others such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descendant it was actually their ancestors who discover and should hold the rights to the land now known as Australia. The question of who possessed Australia first is an important part of Australia history for current generation and future generation to understand that Australia has a complex history.

The video below is a documentary on Aboriginal people reaction to the Europeans and how they are still teaching their children today on their native culture.

Reference List:

 Aboriginal Heritage. (2013). A Brief Aboriginal History. Retrieved 5 June 2013 from http://www.aboriginalheritage.org/history/history/

Leak, B. (2004). Cartoon Perspectives. Retrieved 5 June 2013 from http://www.nma.gov.au/education-kids/classroom_learning/multimedia/interactives/cartoons_on_australia_day_2004/australia_day_2004_cartoon_perspectives

RuniTravel. (2011). Abriignal Bush Law - 1 or 2 - My Country Australia - BBC Culture Documentary. Retrieved 5 June 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEWFKE59JFw

MacIntyre, S. (2009). A concise history of Australia. (3rded.). Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.