It sounds like a Mk 2 version of the Inland Marketing Corporation's failed bid for an international freight airport at Parkes.

Parkes had banked on the airport getting the nod from the federal government but a report claimed it would be commercially nonviable and unlikely to work, and IMC eventually went into voluntary liquidation.

Orange City Council had contributed $50,000 towards the airport and Cabonne put in $120,000. Contributions also came from the other key supporters, Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan councils, while the federal government handed over $4.5 million and when that ran out it was the beginning of the end.

The NSW government contributed about $500,000 towards feasibility studies in the early stages of Inland Marketing so it's strange the government is lining up for another go when the last attempt ended up a white elephant. Even the airlines showed no interest in diverting jets to Parkes to pick up produce.

Consultants claimed if it had gone ahead it would have created 9,500 jobs in NSW and 7,500 would be in regional areas. Of that only an airport staff of about 100 would be in Parkes - the big job boom would be in the irrigation areas.

Parkes is in an ideal position to cash in on major rail and air freight proposals. The Melbourne-to-Brisbane rail line will go through Parkes so it will be interesting to see what happens second time around for a freight airport.

The council will put in a bid for the airport but our airport's main runway, although strengthened and lengthened to 2,213 metres, would again have to be lengthened around another 365 metres for, say, a Boeing 737-900 to operate there.

WHY do people take up two car spaces or more when they park in the central business district?

In Summer Street when there's a double space between two cars, they park right in the middle because they're too dumb to back up to the car behind.

Years ago when the council widened the Summer Street footpaths, narrowed the roadway and put down pavers for the parking area, it decided against rows of white pavers to mark car spaces.

A check of two blocks of Summer Street found an extra 20 or so cars could have been parked if drivers hadn't taken up so much space. Angle parking also attracts the hoggers who like at least two spaces but people don't like getting dents from others who swing their doors wide open getting out.

ORANGE'S honeymoon with petrol prices hasn't lasted long.

A few days ago unleaded was selling for around 134 cents a litre - the cheapest in weeks - but the oil companies must have thought we'd had enough relief and have now jacked up prices around 11 cents a litre.

Coles Shell is 145.9 while their unleaded E10 is 143.9 and diesel $153.9. Summer Street Caltex is also $145.9 and $164.9 for premium.

E10 at BP Summer Street is 143.9 while premium 95 is $157.9 and $149.9 for diesel. United in Woodward Street was 142.9 for unleaded,139.9 for E10 and $148.9 for diesel.