JamesX

It’s inevitable when you read as much as I do about infrastructure around Melbourne that certain themes emerge. There’s one word that sums it all up, and one word that can send shivers down any Melburnians’ spine… Connex. Now you read a lot of negative press about Connex, so much of it in fact, that you can’t possibly hope to read it all, but every now and then, a good story comes along.

The rest of my morning unfolded with a dull inevitability. I arrived at Seddon station in time for my 8.23 train, stood there until 8.35 in the sort of humidity more commonly associated with a Thai logging camp and, realising that the 8.23 would not be running, took a cab to work.

This excerpt is from The Age Opinion section last Thursday and it just about sums up what it means to put up with Connex. To a sceptical reader, you might presume this is a one off occurance, but I’d bet that almost everyone in this state has had an experience similar to this.

You can read the full article here.

I don’t get fired up about public issues very often but this one is really starting to frustrate me - Water Restrictions. I was in a debate about it yesterday with Penelope and reading Chris’ latest entry, it reminded me that I need to vent about this. The fact is Stage 3 restrictions started on January 1 and they are going to be around for a very long while.

Now it’s no surprise that we have water restrictions in Melbourne, we’re in the worst drought in a long time, if not ever, but the way the whole situation is being handled is appaling. To me, the solution to this problem is really quite simple - you have to cut down on your water usage. That’s why we have the restrictions in the first place, but the problem is not with the restrictions themselves, but how breaches are handled. What is the point of fining someone for using too much water? They will inevitably do it again because effectively policing water wastage is near impossible and the act of wasting the water has already been committed.

Why then has no one looked at this from the other angle? Why not offer incentives to the general public to reduce water usage before restrictions even need to be brought into effect? It’s simple, it would cost the water companies money. But I’d argue it’s money well spent. Imagine if every time you opened your water bill it showed the usage this period (as it already does) and then sets you a usage target (or “water saving goal” if you like) for the next period. If you get below that goal you receive a reward, something as simple as a discount off your bill or some other incentive. Each time, the target is lowered, and you gradually save water. Surely this is a better alternative to promoting healthy water usage across Melbourne? This type of scheme would work in tandem with restrictions, but it would help reduce water wastage early, and negate the need to reach Stage 3 restrictions like we have now.

And who knows how long we’ll have these for? Pretty soon we’ll be at Stage 4, and then what? Something needs to be done.