I wanna know........

[cueperkins]

WTF.....happened to Australian Spirit?....

What do you think....are we roooooned?  Does anyone have the same sense of 'existential dread', that I'm feeling lately for the future of Australia?........?  Lib Labor..doesn't matter, they BOTH don't get it I reckon.

What do you think?

[the_hawk*]

I hope i your swing went in the right direction, Deb.. I mean left direction 😄

lion it is a shame you were on poor condition and couldn't support cue at that time.

wow must have been wine o'clock :^O

[the_hawk*]

And it is all fine to say the Government should create new industries and/or opportunities, but just maybe, no one wants to work in them.

Look at the big picture - our world is evolving - people are leaving the hard lifestyle that life on the land offers and heading to the city for the more dependable jobs - jobs that a freak hailstorm or drought don't wipe out overnight after months and years of cultivation that sees all of their hard work simply wasted.

Life on the land (especially in the outback) is too hard and there are more and better opportunities emerging. Maybe not in time for this generation, but would you steer your child into one of the hardest industries to master when you knew there were options out there that have a better chance of securing them a dependable future?

Australia grew up on the sheep's back, but Australians simply don't want to ride the sheep any more. (generally speaking)

We already had businesses and  opportunities, they have all vanished over seas because they weren't supported like business is in most countries that have a so called level playing field.

Thats why we produce very little and import lots, so much for the clever country :^O

[*crikey*mate*]

I don't completely agree, I'm sorry.

How are businesses overseas supported, and how does that compare with the standards and levels that we expect here?

How many of us buy things on eBay from overseas?

The general consumer doesn't even always support Australian business', now think about it at a bigger level.

It all comes down to the very nuts and bolts of supply and demand, other basic economic principles such as allocative efficiency and the attitudes contained therein.

[the_hawk*]

I don't completely agree, I'm sorry.

How are businesses overseas supported, and how does that compare with the standards and levels that we expect here?

How many of us buy things on eBay from overseas?

The general consumer doesn't even always support Australian business', now think about it at a bigger level.

It all comes down to the very nuts and bolts of supply and demand, other basic economic principles such as allocative efficiency and the attitudes contained therein.

Must countries the governments support its industries with subsidies and tax breaks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_welfare

http://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/corporate-welfare-state-how-federal-government-subs...

Its why our farmers are walking off the land and you can buy oranges cheaper from California than they can be pick here for.

We use to have lots of industry making every thing from under wear to TVs, the way we are going we will lose our last large manufacturing industry and employer, Holdens, Ford and Toyota are on the edge and the word is if one goes the rest will quickly follow because the components suppliers will no longer be competitive.

[just_me_karen]

OMG! When did they cancel our free trade agreements? 

[the_hawk*]

OMG! When did they cancel our free trade agreements? 

They didnt , the problem is the level playing fiend is tipped away from us because others get support and our industry doesn't.

Not sure if your argueing the facts or the poster?

[topsidesoul]

Define 'Australian spirit'?

Is it 'buying a chinese made Australian flag' for your car?

Giving a crap About the actual land and what is being done with it /selling it off/mining it?

Caring about Australian citizens?

Caring about Australian politics?

Caring About Australian jobs?

Australia used to be that country New Zealand is now politically. New Zealand is ruled by a conservative party, But when it comes  human rights or just plain doing the honest and right thing, ignoring political opinions or gains, New Zealanders seem to be doing the right thing.

We have turned a little bit too much American when it comes to being easy going (like we used to be), almost ignorant of others as long as we are comfy for the time being.

[the_hawk*]

well topside I think you have it.

Now just add after  "almost ignorant of others as long as we are comfy for the time being." until the day they wake up and realise ts not all they were told it was.

[topsidesoul]

People have rights...

Unfortunately some people believe their rights  extend to the point it negatively effects others.

Politicians believe they have the right continue to raise their salary as well as the right to pass laws regardless of the wishes of the people who voted them in.

The media believes it has the right to print and show everything, no matter if it is distasteful or who it hurts because they hide behind the 'publics right to know'.

We on this board and on opinion pages beleieve we have the right to say whatr we want no matter how horrible it is and who it hurts because some of us are protected by some type of privacy.

Children believe they have more rights than they do when it comes to parenting or schooling, sure they have aright to be protected, but not to the point they can control all situations.

Workers and bosses both believe they have more rights than each other, somehow we need to meet halfway and that those who are good workers and good bosses go about careers with no problems, those who do wrong by their boss or their workers get to deal with what they have done.

The law and criminals believe they have rights to do what they want, that needs to be adjusted so that criminals who have done wrong serve their time and those who are in charge of the the law can not use it against the innocent wrongly.

It would seem we all need a referendum on 'rights' and as hard and crazy it would be, we need to slowly adjuster the slider (volume knob) on rights to what we can have and what we can give up for the benefit of society.

Pipe dream yes, able to be interpretted or compared to  communism or staalinism probably.

[*crikey*mate*]

Must countries the governments support its industries with subsidies and tax breaks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_welfare

http://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/corporate-welfare-state-how-federal-government-subs...

Its why our farmers are walking off the land and you can buy oranges cheaper from California than they can be pick here for.

We use to have lots of industry making every thing from under wear to TVs, the way we are going we will lose our last large manufacturing industry and employer, Holdens, Ford and Toyota are on the edge and the word is if one goes the rest will quickly follow because the components suppliers will no longer be competitive.

LOL at US business - and their economy is doing so well, eh? Whatever they're doing, let's do the same - it seems to be working out just peachy for them LOLOL

Maybe there was a time when we made and produced "everything" here, but the bottom line is, we neither have the ability or the skills base to satisfy everyone's wants in the quantities that are demanded. I would imagine it would be impossible for any country to be 100% self sustainable - at least a country whose needs and wants are as many and as diverse as ours.

And here's the thing, sometimes to get what we do want in the quantities that we do demand, we have to make a tradeoff and also take some other things too.

The world is a global market these days, Ma and Pa's backyard tinkering operations are obsolete and superseded.

Research allocative efficiency..

- why produce something when somewhere else can produce it better and cheaper?

Can't blame the Gov for a consumer's demands, I'm sorry. Whoever is in power.

There is a demand for a different type of skill base now, and the leaders of our country are undoubtedly doing what they believe is what needs to be done to secure that skills base to enable us all to have as many things that we want/need in the quantities that we demand them.

Again I ask you, does the general consumer support local business by only shopping on eBay Australia?

Where does your motorbike come from? Your toy planes? The equipment that you use to enjoy these pleasures?