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

Adelaide is dying

By Malcolm King - posted Wednesday, 6 November 2019


In the movies, we want the hero to win. Likewise, we believe that western cities will always thrive. But what happens if over 40 years, the best and the brightest minds leave a city; if laziness, nepotism and incompetence rules?

What happens if the business sector is addicted to government handouts and if the media becomes jaded and partial? What if the senior public service operates like a blundering colonial squattocracy addicted to perks?

This story is about Adelaide and it is dying.

Advertisement

Back in 2014, I had left the Department of Employment in Canberra and returned to Adelaide. I started seriously looking at Adelaide's economy. I was motivated by two factors. One was to question why international bands were bypassing Adelaide (a story in itself) and a quote from a former Adelaide Thinker-in-Residence, Charles Landy.

"Decline mostly takes time and happens by imperceptible steps. Each small moment in itself does not matter, but when the steps are taken together it matters dramatically … Adelaide must avoid this fate… It will do so only if it recognises there is a crisis, even though it mostly does not feel like one."

Behind the smiley face Festival of Arts and wine stories, I uncovered alarming statistics - none of which were reported in the local media - which showed serious economic decline, not only in relative terms but in absolute terms.

Thousands of people have been thrown out of secure full-time work and into precarious employment or underemployment. Much of this is hidden by the old-fashioned ABS methodology.

Roy Morgan conducts door-to-door surveys, which shows SA's unemployment rate at about 9 per cent (not 6.3 per cent as per ABS) and under employment around 11 per cent (Morgan).

The workforce is being carved to pieces due to unrelenting economic contraction.

Advertisement

Gross State Product (GSP) is the total value of goods and services produced in a financial year. The above graph plots the state's economic decline. The 2007-08 blip upwards is the Federal Government pump-priming the national economy during the Global Financial Crisis.

In the last five years, more than 1500 SMEs have closed. I have included a very small sample below.

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


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

18 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 18 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy