On Tuesday 26th February Channel Seven in Cairns ran an item about the proposed Kuranda Range 4-Lane Highway.

The news item seems to be in response to comments from within the Kuranda Chamber of Commerce, although it doesn’t appear there is a formal media release on its website.

I hope that indicates some flexibility on the part of the Kuranda Chamber of Commerce. I’d very much like to put to the Chamber the case for modern rail as a serious and better alternative – and I’m excited by the invitation, along with other candidates for Division 8, to attend the forthcoming AGM and enter into discussion with those who come along.

I also intend to devote a little time to the idea of a modern rail connection between Cairns and Mareeba at my forthcoming public meetings.

It may be a vote-loser. People may think I’m a fruitloop for suggesting rail when received wisdom in FNQ has been so strongly against it for so long.

But I don’t care much for ‘received wisdom’ that goes unquestioned – and I don’t care too much if it loses me votes to raise important issues that at the very least deserve an airing.

I’m optimistic enough to think I’ll gain a few votes if statements like this help stimulate quality debate about our future.

I think people are bored by politics as usual. I also believe that applies to people in Mareeba as much as people in Kuranda – or people in Cairns or anywhere else for that matter.

It’s going to take bold action to steer planetary society onto a sustainable trajectory. It can’t be done overnight. But every major step we take is important, if not crucial.

Self-styled ‘realists’, for the most part, have controlled political affairs throughout my entire lifetime. I don’t want to denigrate their many achievements, but it should be pointed out that the planet is getting dangerous hot, in a variety of ways.

How about giving people who believe in sustainable development a go, for a change? People who don’t want to promote flimflam sustainability – but who’ll try to foster the real thing?

How about a fair go for the future?