Adelaide – Athens of the South’s long, slow decline

The SA Government claims that over an eight year period more than 111,000 jobs have been created since 2002 - about 13,000 jobs a year. Yet according to the ABS, about 12,000 people die per year, so the death rate just lags behind the job creation rate.

It's a statistical nonsense, but one commentator with tongue-in-cheek claimed that when the death rate surpasses the job creation rate, Adelaide's employment prospects will improve – although another wit claimed the jobs go with them into the grave.

Australian Bureau of Statistic figures show SA is losing people to other states at a greater rate than it gains them. Since 1971/72, there has only been four years when more people have moved to SA than left.

One fundamental problem with Adelaide is that it's a branch office economy. Most of the major international and national corporates have their headquarters in Sydney and Melbourne.

Adelaide's economy won't crash over night. There are large mining developments in the north of the state and South Australia's agricultural and meat exports are up, although the high Australian dollar is hurting commodities.

How long a so-called modern undiversified economy can last based on mining, agriculture and meat is anyone's guess – but probably not more than 30 years.

While Adelaidians may gnash their teeth and lambast the State Government, the problem lies beyond the scope of any government to fix. It is not a political problem but one of economic degeneration over two generations; the decline of the manufacturing sector and of the many SME's who were dependent on it.

Only in Adelaide

While its relatively common to see gay and lesbian people being affectionate in public in Melbourne and Sydney, it's a rarity in Adelaide. The local gay scene has gone underground or rather; it never came out of the closet. While Adelaide likes to think of itself as 'socially progressive' this is a mythic hangover from the days of Don Dunstan.

In 2010, a Thai restaurant refused a blind man entry because one of the staff thought his guide dog was "gay." A statement given by restaurant owners said one of the waiters genuinely believed that Nudge the blue heeler, who had been de-sexed, was now gay.

While this probably doesn't explain why gays keep to themselves in Adelaide, it certainly explains why the 'best and the brightest' head east.

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