Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Don't cry for me South Australia

By Malcolm King - posted Friday, 3 October 2014


We know what the problems are: a lack of economic diversity, failure to transition to the new economy, decline of the manufacturing and construction sectors, low exports, shrinking private investment, an ageing population and high taxes on small business, for starters.

There isn't the capability to rectify such destiny issues. Plus, to be honest, the people who were skilled in policy implementation left Adelaide 20-30 years ago. A cursory examination of Seek and CareerOne shows that while there is high demand for Salad Artists and Nail Technicians, there's little demand for the skills and capabilities needed to rebuild a commercially viable state.

Actually, if a revolutionary force were going to arise from anywhere, it would be Elizabeth. Yet it's doubtful whether its members would wear black berets, leather jackets and look like Che Guevara. They may look like Hando and his mates out of Romper Stomper, who think Norwood and Kensington Gardens would make a nice place to live.

Advertisement

John Kenneth Galbraith once said that the choices before governments were usually between the unpalatable and the disastrous. There's a third option: begging. The state government is praying madly that the Federal Government makes these problems go away, without placing the whole state in to receivership.

There's some very sorry news coming for Jay and his team of budgies. The resources boom is in full retreat. The Howard, Rudd and Gillard governments treated a temporary surge in national income as a permanent fixture and spent like drunken sailors. The Rudd and Gillard governments increased spending and created new entitlement programs without the ability to pay for them.

Recently the price of Australia's biggest export, iron ore, hit its lowest in five years. Two years ago iron ore peaked at $US149 a tonne. It's now trading at under $US80 a tonne. We can kiss the expansion of Olympic Dam goodbye for some time.

While much of the Budget spin is now axle deep in bulldust, Australia's mineral commodities are not faring well and retail is comatose. There will be no Federal handouts to Crow Land simply because it can't run an economy.

As stated, the greatest and most wicked of problems is youth unemployment and the maelstrom that's coming in the form of intergenerational inequality. As the national economy slows, many more young people will suffer long term unemployment while the Boomers maintain their hold on 70 per cent of the nations domestic wealth, as they live on and on and on. Living on is not the Boomers fault. The Government simply didn't prepare for the longevity.

There's one other possibility – extraordinary to contemplate – that the middle class, which is also being hammered by unemployment and high prices, turn against the government and corporate elite and do something to protect not only their interests but also the interests of those battling in the northern and western suburbs?

Advertisement

What could they do? Not pay land tax. What could the blue-collar workers and unemployed do? Not pay their utility bills. The state government is not representative of the people – it's simply a manager – and a bad one at that.

Without government help – because they'll stuff it up – businessmen and women need to change the narrative about the state. This is going to involve considerable risk and financial speculation. They are going to have to place SA at the centre of the media dialogue, not as a victim or sitting on the periphery (which is what it feels like working in SA). Knock off the chip on the shoulder and the parochialism.

Don't send politicians overseas. It's a complete waste of time. Send leaders of the business community trained in pitching sales propositions - and don't let them come back until they have signed contracts in their hands.

In a highly developed society, the elite cannot survive without the obedience and loyalty of hundreds of thousands of people, who are given small rewards to keep the system going: the police, teachers and ministers, administrators and social workers, labourers, lawyers, council workers and more. These people are the guardians of the system; buffers between the upper and lower classes.

But it's these very people who know that the system isn't working. That for all the promises made, few have been kept. They will ultimately push for radical change.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

31 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Malcolm King is a journalist and professional writer. He was an associate director at DEEWR Labour Market Strategy in Canberra and the senior communications strategist at Carnegie Mellon University in Adelaide. He runs a writing business called Republic.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Malcolm King

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 31 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy