OPAL FUEL INTRODUCED TO RED CENTRE PROPERTIES
Thursday, 25 May 2006
Two Red Centre resorts owned by The GPT Group and managed by Voyages Hotels & Resorts have replaced unleaded fuel with Opal fuel; a non-sniffable fuel developed by BP to combat the devastating practice of petrol sniffing in remote Aboriginal Communities in Central Australia.
"The introduction of Opal fuel at Voyages Ayers Rock Resort and Voyages Kings Canyon Resort is an important step on the way to a region wide roll out," said GPT's Hotel/Tourism Portfolio Manager and Opal Alliance spokesperson Bruce Morris.
"An average of seven people die each year from petrol sniffing and since the mid 1980s in excess of 100 have died from petrol sniffing. Opal fuel is widely seen as one of the most useful interventions to date to fight this growing social problem."
The GPT Group has been a key member of The Opal Fuel Alliance, together with Ngaanyatjaara Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women's Council and the Central Australian Youth Link-up Service (CAYLUS).
In 2005, GPT joined forces with NPY and CAYLUS to lobby the Federal Government to expand its subsidy of OPAL Fuel to combat the practice of petrol sniffing in Central Australia.
A cost benefit study commissioned by The Opal Alliance and conducted by Access Economics found the net financial cost would be only $1.5 million per annum for the Federal and State Governments to roll out Opal fuel across Central Australia.
Access Economics found that in 2005 petrol sniffing cost Governments and Australian taxpayers $78.9 million through disease burden, strain on the health and justice system, and rehabilitation costs.
The Report found $25.1 million per annum in financial savings could be achieved and lives could be saved if Opal fuel was subsidised as a complete replacement for regular unleaded petrol across Central Australia along with supplementary measures including tri-state legislation to deal with petrol trafficking.
"Research shows that the single biggest hurdle to Opal fuel being fully effective is its proximity to regular petrol. At the moment Opal fuel is available in certain communities, but unfortunately regular petrol remains available within the region, lessening the effectiveness of Opal - what is needed now is a comprehensive rollout in the Central Australian region. Importantly the rollout must include urban centres such as Alice Springs," said Mr Morris.
According to Voyages Acting CEO Damien Thomas, the introduction of Opal fuel is an important part of broader social policies and programs undertaken by GPT and Voyages in the Red Centre, in particular the Mutitjulu Foundation at Ayers Rock Resort.
"Following extensive consultation with senior members of the Mutitjulu Community, the first project of the Mutitjulu Foundation is the construction of a $1.2 million Aged Care Respite and Renal Centre," Mr Thomas said.
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The Mutitjulu Foundation was first launched in December 2003, with a donation of $250,000 from GPT and Voyages. The Foundation's goals are to improve health and wellbeing, and advance education for all members of the Mutitjulu Community. GPT and Voyages match voluntary guest donations, dollar-for-dollar, up to $200,000 each year for the Mutitjulu Community and related projects. To date, the Foundation has raised over $600,000 as well as a $140,000 grant from the NT Government.
Another key initiative is the Transition to Work program between Voyages Ayers Rock Resort and Nyangatjatjara College, Australia's first traditional independent Aboriginal High school.
According to Nyangatjatjara College Principal Ralph Folds, the partnership with Ayers Rock Resort has created real employment opportunities for young men and women from neighbouring Aboriginal communities of Mutitjulu, Imanpa and Kaltukatjara (Docker River).
The Transition to Work program places students in a variety of positions at Ayers Rock Resort, facilitating their transition from secondary education to employment, and further education through a supported employment and Vocational Education and Training program.
An Indigenous Employment Officer employed by Ayers Rock Resort oversees the program in conjunction with College staff and Resort management. The Transition to Work program won the NT 2005 Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships.
GPT and Voyages also support Red Dust Role Models, a not for profit organisation that uses the profile and influence of leading Australian athletes to deliver health messages and inspire healthy lifestyle decisions among remote, indigenous youth. Each year, groups of athletes and volunteers visit remote Aboriginal communities in the Red Centre, Top End and Tiwi Islands, conducting healthy lifestyle clinics.
Community leaders relate stories of higher attendance rates at school, increased participation in sport and less destructive behaviour as a result of the Red Dust Role Models program. Health Workers and teachers observe a decrease in the incidence of petrol sniffing and other forms of substance abuse in the wake of athlete visits.
For more information please contact:
Bruce Morris
The GPT Group
+61 2 8239 3541
bruce.morris@gpt.com.au
Damien Hanger
Voyages
+61 2 8296 8055
damien.hanger@voyages.com.au
Voyages is an Australian travel company, providing experience-based holidays in spectacular wilderness locations including the Red Centre, Queensland, The Kimberley and Tasmania. Voyages operate award-winning properties such as Ayers Rock Resort, Longitude 131°, Lizard Island, Silky Oaks Lodge and Cradle Mountain Lodge.