The Age: Plan first, tunnel later, says ALP

THE controversial $9 billion east-west road tunnel may not be built unless the State Government develops a comprehensive public transport plan.

A policy motion passed by the Victorian Labor Party's state conference at the weekend, and supported by Roads Minister Tim Pallas, called for a ban on building new freeways in inner Melbourne without a transport plan.

ABC: Govt on the defensive over 'tax on petrol tax'

Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce says the cost of petrol was by far the most talked about issue in his Queensland electorate over the weekend.

"It is the number one issue. Fuel is definitely it," he said. "If we don't acknowledge that we've got a fuel crisis, then we're really living on another planet to where the punter on the road is."

The Australian: Rudd has a few reviews to ease fuel price sting

THE Rudd Government is holding the line against Brendan Nelson's attack over petrol prices, and his populist policy to reduce excise by 5c a litre. But the Government is also taking out a little bit of insurance.

Herald Sun: Clean fuel needs a break

AS the national debate on carbon emissions intensifies, a top fuel executive has called on the government to scrap a tax on natural gas.

The Age: Living within our means

Barcelona provides a sustainable city model that we can follow.

SMH: Rebound in supply to curb runaway oil

ABC: Nelson goads Rudd to 'make decision' on petrol tax

SMH: Labor under the pump over petrol

ABC: Low paid Canberrans feeling the pinch of petrol prices

SMH: Air NZ to save fuel by changing planes

Herald Sun: Petrol pain to hit household items

Slower Domestic Flights Attempt to Save on Fuel

We've still got a long way to go, as long as rubbish like this is being printed:
Herald Sun: Oil's well, and prices will fall again

Alarmists also say that the world's oil supplies have passed their "peak", that the world has consumed half of all its oil and that the remaining one trillion barrels will be gone by 2025.

This is quite simply tosh. No one it seems is willing to proclaim the truth: there is no oil shortage. The fact is that we are all being forced to pay an artificially high price because of a combination of factors.

First there is the greed of the oil traders, bankers and speculators in the world's financial centres who are pocketing billions from our misery. Then there is the venality of oil producing countries, whose economies profit massively from artificially keeping the oil price high.

From the Institute of Public Affairs: 'Australia's Leading Free Market Think Tank' (that should be all the warning you need):
ABC:Taxes key to petrol prices

Consumers should be wary of hollow promises to reduce petrol prices by Government. The real obstacle to keeping petrol prices low is government taxes. And if you think they are bad now, just wait until the cost of a carbon trading scheme hits you when you fill up.

Brisbane folks really should check out this cartoon.. "What to use in Campbell and Anna's tunnels"

Some other stories from the Brisbane Courier Mail late last week:

Northern Link's tunnel torment

Bligh pledges $2m to get public servants cycling

MPs dodge petrol pain

Aussie petrol's cheap - Shell