Kristo

Deyrans,

I am disappointed that your comments are straddling the line between fair opinion and pot-stirring. I can't see what SA wine has to do with this conversation - you seem to be implying it's no good for some reason confused:

We are in the US at the moment and had to prove ourselves here - didn't walk into a top role, I can assure you.

The article you posted is old deyrans. I think it is unfair of you to keep referring to it. You are implying that Adelaide is not trying to advance and it's not true. For example, the Air Warfare Destroyer project is a HUGE coup for the state and it has happened since this article. Also mining exploration has increased hugely in recent years. Infrastructure is being worked on (and hopefully will accelerate). I am interested in development and see that building work in the city has increased a great deal too - like you said a crude marker of economic growth.

People who read this thread and site are interested in moving to Australia. Adelaide needs a fair share of these people to prosper. I respect your right to an opinion deyrans, but I wish to let people know that there is an alternative opinion out there. Yes, Adelaide is behind but don't perpetuate this myth that we don't care and are not making strides in the right direction - it's not fair. Thanks.

Kristo

Deyrans, I see it wasn't your words about cranes being a marker of economic growth, but the Bulletin article. Apologies.

Dreamer

How sad the show is over. What am i going to do every morning now?! Id got used to sitting down watching it with my cuppa

DEEDEE01

Hi Oz_Dreamer,

I KNOW, I just got home and went onto BBC Iplayer only to find it's not on anymore !!! :curse:

I have watched this religiously for the past 3 weeks and really enjoyed it, never mind.

D.
x

Kristo

Hi again, in reference to recent discussions about the past and future of South Australia..

For anyone interested in the economic outlook for South Australia - try to have a look at the Australian Financial Review (11/02/08) pages 60-61. The article is entitled "Plenty to Crow about in SA".

Like I said, South Australia is in the process of realising its potential. This article is happy reading for anyone considering making SA their home

deryans

Hi , just read the article by Mark Phillips in the afr website.

It makes a number of points regarding the future of the state, all of these are resource centric and based on ... to paraphrase quoting Keating "Australias ecomomic strategy is to dig stuff up and send it overseas" , that may be all well and good, but is it sustainable ? and for that matter is anything based on resources sustainable ? Newcastle NSW was laughing three decades ago when the coal industry was booming, then it stopped, and recently Newcastle has become a mecca for the long commuters into Sydney, and the Central coast.

SA needs to attract for example, a large global services corporates to make it's base there, a large IT company (eg Intel, or similar) , not just focus on (to be honest , unsustainable) mining and gas. It also has to take an altruistic outlook on small businesses to ensure they survive.


The small mindset that I have a problem with is this, I personally saw a large winemaker (who shall remain nameless, but you will know whom I am referring to) destroyed by a bunch of people who really had no clue what they were doing, and in the process of trying to survive, this winemaker destroyed much of the small boutique wineries around SA by an aggressive and wholly stupid discounting strategy, Destroying these little 20/30 acre muscat/botrytis growers who added a real value to SA tourism and an intangable extra to the Vale and Barossa.


as to defence, will the same crew who upgraded the Collins Class submarines be doing the Air Warfare Destroyer ? Because amusingly (bear with me) , The Economist quoted Russian Intelligence at the time as describing the Collins Class as an underwater Orchestra with the added comment of - can't wait to see the hull mounted trombone

Emigrating is hard enough without being sold a pig in a poke, people should do it with their eyes open and not on the basis of something that may or may not happen.

St.Georges Girl

Why don't you name them, everyone here knows the company you are talking about?

DEEDEE01

I don't !!!

St.Georges Girl

But you're not here in Oz so it would probably mean nothing to you.

DEEDEE01

Oooops ok

St.Georges Girl

Have you heard of Southcorp? I'm assuming that's what Deryans is talking about.

Kristo

Deryans, I'm glad you had a look at the Financial Review article, cheers for that. I've had a good think about your post..

The things that you're pointing to aren't special to SA, they're true right across the country, and practically everywhere else too.

It's true the "dig it up and sell it" economy can't last forever (just a very very long time), but the question is what do you do with that money; do you turn into Nauru or Dubai? Well, maybe Dubai's not that appealing to me, but look at WA - they're the most minerals focussed state of all. They've been riding the back of a mining wave since the eighties.

SA has attracted hi-tech companies - obviously there are the defence companies, and there's also Motorola (where my other half used to work). Moto were a good example of how those companies are a mixed blessing, when the freebies run out, they pull up stumps. NSW were trying to get Intel to build a plant there, and their response was basically "We're going somewhere cheaper".

Speaking of defence, yes the AWD will be done by the same people who did the Collins, but before we all panic about that, let's remember a few things. First, it's the Navy that actually decide what their ships are going to have on them, so they cop the blame for any problems there. Second, the auditor-general decided that it was the Federal government and not the shipyard who needed to pay for the repairs.

And in the wake of the problems, the SA government responded by founding the Defence and Systems Institute at the UniSA.

Right across the country, the wine industry is a victim of its own success. Especially the exporters (like Southcorp who are owned by Fosters) who think that they need to make everything cheap. Every region is getting squeezed.

Right, well I'll stop now. Basically, my point in all this is that SA is moving forward. No doubt there have been problems in the past and problems remain - but we are finally rising to the challenge and I am optimistic for the future.

Dreamer

Ive resorted to watching the repeat episodes still on the iplayer, that will keep me going for a few days at least

deryans

double post

deryans

Me two, got a call from an Adelaide friend (who is in Sydney) this afternoon, we had a fairly long discussion, we both have investment properties there, and we both have doubts regarding the SA state economic policy (too resource centric) but agreed that the next 2-3 years should be good for the state. I'd quite like my kids to grow up there, we had an idyllic spot in the eastern burbs, I'll just have to wait a while I guess. I've since gathered many more options for work in adl, and if the mortgage is paid off, then all we need is school fees and some pastime money. Apologies if I sounded negative regarding ADL, but that was mine and others experience over the last few years, and I really want people to go in with their eyes open.

My adelaide friend did also say that they are still paying 2002 rates , so I guess they've closed the gap from 30 to 6 on that