The Australian: Dollar dive sucks up savings from oil price fall

AUSTRALIAN motorists will not reap the rewards of a global slump that has seen oil prices fall below $US80 a barrel. The Australian dollar, which plummeted to a five-year low last week, has wiped out any petrol price cut to consumers.

The average price of fuel in Melbourne and Sydney over the weekend was $1.48 a litre. Federal Assistant Treasurer Chris Bowen said yesterday most of the gains motorists might have expected were gone.

The Age: Nexus targets Crux sale by end of year

Nexus Energy Ltd says it hopes to sell a stake in the Crux liquids project by the end of the year after Japanese group Mitsui pulled out of a planned purchase.

Mitsui last week terminated the $US255 million ($A378.34 million) acquisition of a 25 per cent interest in the Crux project in Western Australia, citing the global financial crisis for the decision.

Herald Sun: Sydney's transport crisis: build railways, not roads

There has been intense media speculation on the fate of New South Wales infrastructure plans following the “discovery” of a supposed $20 billion dollar “black hole” in the NSW budget, announced by departing treasurer Michael Costa on September 5.

The failure of ex-premier Morris Iemma’s government to force its complete electricity privatisation agenda through parliament, it is claimed, has left the state desperately short of funding options for Sydney’s woefully inadequate public transport system.

Voxy NZ: Greens: Time For Sustainable Infrastructure, Not Tax Cuts

The Green Party is calling for spending on sustainable infrastructure to be brought forward in response to the global financial crisis - but is opposed to further dead-end spending on new motorways.

"Supporting the domestic economy by investing in infrastructure rather than tax cuts makes sense. Infrastructure spending leaves a legacy and supports the economy in a time of uncertainty," Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman says. "However, it is essential that spending is for sustainable infrastructure - or we will get caught up once again in the 'growth for its own sake' mentality.

Stuff.co.NZ: Bus lanes put on hold

A plan for Queen St bus lanes has been shelved after Auckland City Council spent $75,000 on proposals, reports and peer reviews on the project.

A further $500,000 of ratepayer cash will now be spent on a wider study into central city transport issues.

The Age: Fielding flags changes to Fuel Watch

A key senator wants state premiers and motoring bodies to give their approval before a national Fuel Watch scheme is established.

The federal government is hoping the seven balance-of-power senators give their support to the scheme when the upper house debates enabling legislation on Tuesday.