How The Netherlands Turned an Oil Crisis Into a National Opportunity

Description

What if a crisis isn’t just something to endure, but a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink everything? In this episode, I'm unpacking the idea of “crisitunity” (yes, inspired by Homer Simpson!) and exploring how a moment of disruption can become a catalyst for lasting change. I'm taking you all the way back to 1973, when another global oil crisis brought The Netherlands to a standstill. Instead of waiting and hoping for normalcy to return, they made a bold decision: redesign their cities, prioritise people over cars (even banning them one day a week), and build what would become the world’s best cycling infrastructure. Fast forward to 2026, and Australia is facing its own version of that moment—rising fuel prices, fragile supply chains, and a heavy dependence on imported energy. So the question is: will we just ride it out… or capitalise on this opportunity? This episode explores what’s at stake, what’s possible, and why the choices we make right now could shape the future of how we move, live, and build a more resilient country. LINKS Sign up to the Better Than Yesterday newsletter Watch episodes of Better Than Yesterday on YouTube Watch full stories recorded live at Story Club on YouTube Get tickets for our next Story Club show Get Osher's latest book "So What? Now What?" here Send a pic of what you're looking at to sendosheremail@gmail.com LIKE THIS EPISODE? CHECK THESE OUT... Do You Really Love Animals? Or Do You Really Love To Hate People? The Truth Crisis: Separating Facts from Beliefs, Misinformation and Propaganda with Dom Thurbon Why Winning Doesn’t Always Make You Happy with Ben Crowe See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.