Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

Probably not going to entice much response, but peeps considering options and/or willing to look at other perspectives, other than the spoon fed PR machine and related media compliance upsetting the apple cart , it doesn't hurt to ask the above question.
Some of longer memories, or life spans, will recall Treasurer Keating (later to be PM) back in 86, (or around that time remember it well,) that Australia's economy was leading the country into Banana Republic status.

Has anything changed over the following decades? Dominated as it still is by exporting unprocessed commodities and selling fixed assets such as real estate and land to foreigners, it does appear little has changed.

The ongoing debate in the major cities about whether mass turbo charged immigration and rapid population growth resulting, is of any benefit or simply something we have embarked on is a population Ponzi scheme (latter IMO) whereby economic growth is simply a function of ever larger population.

In other words our success to date, has been simply a mirage based on inflated property prices and hype, without any sold productive and sustainable foundations.

It will likely become increasingly apparent the wasted opportunities from the recent boom. Wasted on things like tax cuts to the already wealthy or as subsidies to property speculators. The better option would of course have been to invest in long term productive assets.

Probably the worst decisions came from the Howard/Liberal government's era, but poor governance hardly confined to that period. Just a lot of the 'rot' now being forced to confront was kicked off at that time. 1999 would be a good year to note probably the worst decision making period of the globalising era.

Keating's words from another era, back to haunt us?

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

Likely


Needs work on the sales pitch and some hard, cold facts.

​​​​​​​Just trying to help

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

It’s still the ‘lucky country’.

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

Speaking of helping, staying at the shallow end may indeed result in never requiring resuscitation assistance, but will shoot any remote sparks of credibility to a splattering stop. While any expectation of expression towards detail has long has long expired with regards to your posts, just a little bit of effort would not go amiss.
Sales pitch? Not a salesman. Leave the condo flogging to you. I deal in facts as expressed in OP , but understand the difficulty you experience with aspects out of your depth. But no matter, you gave it your best shot. Partaking regardless of result, being the all important thing.

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

Mmm. The view from abroad? Interesting. Not a term often in use these days. More the country where luck is fast running out. But we have certainly had, probably far more than our deserved share. But please, if you have views in contrast, do share with some idea of how/why Australia remains 'the lucky country? Not forgetting to add' lucky for whom?'

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

Horne’s premise was that Australia’s economic success relied on continued large scale immigration and its natural resources. Fifty years later I don’t see that has changed particularly. Whether it’s sustainable for much longer is up for debate.

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

Horne's often misplaced quote 'Lucky Country' was tongue in cheek, the luck being despite poor governance and decision making. The world through Australian eyes in 1963 was something along the lines of populate or perish. The war was not long over, and 'Yellow Peril' scares were somewhat consensus.
Fifty years later the situation is quite different. Asian immigration is welcomed and integration into the region is underway. All good. But the sustainability of Australia's present direction, is highly debateable.
Genuinely productive countries/cities and societies invest in industries that produce long term future dividends rather than short term speculative profits.
You don't state why you consider Australia to still be 'The Lucky Country'. I would love to read a reason why this should. be considered the case.

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

As the man said, Australia has always invested in people and resources. It's what it does. So what? It keeps us living in a place of ever increasing living standards, minimizing unemployment, and an ever increasing supply of public services but also private services which add to that living standard. What more do you need to know?

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

ROTFL. The man actually said very little. Australia has done neither of the above, and it is not what it does. Ever increasing public services? Are you for real? Cut backs seriously impacting delivery of services are everywhere to been seen. Inequality has become a ever entrenched acceptance of modern life, while a few have done fantastically well. Future generations will likely look back and ask why it all went so wrong. What has happened, over the course of this century , is that a real complacency has set in , with like already stated speculative profits taking precedence over long term planning. The tide appears to be turning, with an increasingly disgruntled population waking to falling living standards, poorer social services, poor employment conditions, with longer hours and less security, living in a country, too many can ill afford , at least the live akin to the previous generation.
Private services? You mean privatisation? Another great failure outside of rewarding themselves at the expense of the public.
Hence Australia maintains some of the most expensive power and utility bills in the world. All very sad, there are a group of Aussies, as yourself, applauding this along.

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

Adam Smith (the invisible hand guy - probably the greatest Scotsman that has ever lived) summed it up nicely:
“Little else is requisite to carry a state to the highest degree of opulence from the lowest barbarism but peace, easy taxes, and a tolerable administration of justice: all the rest being brought about by the natural course of things.”

Everything you need to know on this topic is right there in this statement

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

Absolutely. Sell the utilities with price caps and put that money into other areas. See all the infrastructure in NSW.

When I refer to private services I also refer to private services such as Uber. Keep those nasty clueless yellow cab drivers of Victoria honest.

Victoria is a great example of somewhere that could be so great but is battling with restricting left wing governments. Not much happening except a metro that goes no where. That's about it. Doesn't even have a working 4G network (yes run by private companies, restricted in its service by a left wing governement). Ever tried to get an Uber out of Melbourne Airport? There's a 30 minute wait while the Uber driver has to frig around in a carpark a few kilometers away. Sydney - 5 min wait. Would help if Melbourne had a train station from the airport to city like everywhere else but again that seems too hard for the incompetent Andrew's government. Never mind, just be wary of nutters driving the streets.

And those Victorians will vote for more of the same incompetence.

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

They seem to have revolving door governments in Oz. The latest joke is "Only two more PMs until Christmas!"

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

It's not desirable, but that's democracy - the Westminster system

In your country, if a president is incompetent (as opposed to corrupt or criminal), there is virtually no mechanism to remove him from office and the country suffers needlessly

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

The really sad part in the latest installment was that the PM was actually doing a decent job. The economy was flying, the opinion polls had taken a turn for the good, everything was rosey. A few in his party decided that the direction he was taking was not in line where the party was 20 years ago. The end result was a virtual no change, except in the opinion polls. It was a backward step of great proportion for no result.

Re: Australia. Real Future or Banana State in Making?
 

Right wing saw an opportunity that wasn't. Thank goodness, they attempted to install leadership, through a take over, as it has diminished the prospects, of the hard core right, from accreting power, which in return would have taken this country to and ever greater 'darker' stage in freedom and transparency. Even more rule by fear and undemocratic practises, wrapped in something not immediately apparent to the vox populi.