I find myself agreeing with... Pauline Hanson

[facthunter]

We are not self sufficient in anything much , NOW.. We also only have 3 weeks hydrocarbon fuel and then WHAT? Relax WE are the CLEVER country . You're standing in it. Nev.

 

 

[nomadpete]

If I'm standing in it, I'd better take my boots off before I come inside.

 

Actually I think our once 'lucky country' is more like up to it's neck in it.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

The problem with our governments of the last 40 years is no foresight at all. WE have all the resources here to be able to tell the rest of the world to get stuffed. We can be totally self sufficient. The only poliyician who tried to start something like being in control of all our crap was Gough Whitlam. He got rooted over by kemlany and the rest of the knuckle draggers. If you believe conspiracy stuff where the CIA wasnt partial to all the big US owned companies getting tossed out of here then put in motion the need to get rid of Gough. He was a true commo Gough but he did see things for what they were but being too much of a ideological brain he wasnt watching the back door

 

I agree we need to piss off all the bleeders that are here sucking the life out of our country..thats the Chinese buying up all our food resource land and all the others owning our minerals etc. if we had our own control then we would have too many jobs for not enough people and the tax man would have his cup running over...

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

In an alternative universe, the Whitlam government was successful in keeping our mineral wealth in Australian ownership. Foreign corporations were allowed to invest in our resource industries, but not ship all the profits overseas. Australia had so much income from the resource boom that we invested in nation-building infrastructure including decent railways and freeways, fibre to every home and business. Our education system invested heavily in our future citizens.

 

That's pretty much what tiny Norway did. It's now just about the world's richest country, while we're going backwards, with an economic cliff looming...

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

As an aside as I do not recall all the events in '75, but was Whitlam overseas at the time of the double dissolution or Kerr signally dissolving the government? My old (in all senses of the word) neighbour recounts departing early from a Commonwealth Club shindig of some sort to take Whitlam to his hotel so he could get his stuff and on the next plane out London, apparently being a tad angry about some sort of shenanigans...

 

 

[Bruce]

News to me that Whitlam was overseas. I would have gone on the streets at the time to support him against what I saw was a coup.

 

These days, I hold it against him that he brought in thousands of Lebanese, many of whom are still on welfare.

 

 

[facthunter]

He was rather prominently here at the time and pretty vocal about what was happeneing. What an idea Buy back the farm and the profits stay here? Now they go overseas and pay NO tax here even Glencore and others. ( a long list). WE pay to clean up the mess when they DO leave. Now that has to be a dumb idea. When prices are very low Gina mines more to keep the profits up but we are selling it too cheap, on those occasions. You only mine and ship each tonnne once. Nev

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Yes I loved Gough's idea I thought it was the right thing to do but he got screwed over...however you may think that screw over was initiated. I still think its a good idea and if I was a benevolent dictator here its what I would do...is toss all these overseas blood suckers out or at least make them pay fair and reasonable tax

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Chile and lots of others tried this. The US made a horrible example of them. Cuba succeeded and has never been forgiven.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Gough was not overseas at the time. He was here. It was a huge uproar too. I was in grade 11 at school but remember it all very well

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Yes Old Koreelah but those countries are not capable of being self sufficient like we are. We have to start up all our steel mills and other mills and oil rigs and refineries..all shutdown due to the "global economy" conspiracy.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

By the way I am not a commo in the corner...I like to think I am a realist with a touch of idealism :)

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Yes Old Koreelah but those countries are not capable of being self sufficient like we are. We have to start up all our steel mills and other mills and oil rigs and refineries..all shutdown due to the "global economy" conspiracy.

In the ‘60s Australia was the worlds’s most efficient steel producer. Our engineers and inventors have come up with world-class innovations, but most of our industry is now foreign-owned, and most management infected with a woeful cultural cringe.

 

After we’ve gone over the impending economic cliff, we’ll need a strong, visionary leader to guide the nation.

 

Seen any lately?

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Put me in...there would be a lot of changes.....but then again too many cooks in the kitchen....the Head Chef HAS to be the boss...all the others are Sous chefs they do their jobs on what the head chef says.....thats the only way it CAN work

 

There would be a lot of changes if I was in...trouble is it cant be a fast change otherwise the populus will get pissed off.

 

First thing would be make every single multinational pay the tax they are supposed to...none of this profits to Ireland crap... money earned here stays here...if they dont like it then piss off

 

Then I would start building affordable housing for the lesser fortunate as there just isnt enough but along with that goes rules...like the welfare card...80% on living expenses and 20% as free cash. All below the age of 30 without a job now go into the army or similar for training and the army also start doing community work like road cleaning and seaside clearing of rubbish

 

Tax incentives for local companys to employ people. More infrastructure projects like a pipeline from northern australia. A big emphasis on apprentices and traing people. University will be free for people who want real education and ambission...none of the arty farty courses they have...you want the arty farty course then you pay for it but for teachers and nurses and doctors all of these sort of professions if you score high enough at school you can go to Uni free....well thats a small start :)

 

 

[nomadpete]

You'd have my vote

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Put me in...there would be a lot of changes... I would start building affordable housing for the lesser fortunate ...

A good start, but we’re already disagreeing...

 

Why on earth would you build houses for people who could and should help build their own homes?

 

No charity; only short-term help. People value what they've earned.

 

Too much is spent cleaning up and repairing the damage done by low lifes who trash the homes they never appreciated.

 

 

[red750]

Speaking of "welfare", the pension goes up on Sept 20 - a whole 94.28 cents per day for a couple. Not enough to buy a $1 loaf of bread at Coles or Woolies.

 

Ahh - the good life.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I agree with what you say but there are not a lot of people who can get ahead when renting..these are the ones with jobs that is. I know my daughter pays $460 a week for her house but just cant get the 50K within a reasonable timeframe to afford the deposit for a house. Building affordable housing creates jobs for lots of people and trains apprentices. The government supplys the houses at a reasonable rate so people can actually save some money towards getting their own houses.

 

People who dont have a job and on welfare cards will have to make sure they take care of any housing they get and pay a rate for of course out of their 80% but any damage or such like you see they are immediately thrown out with all their crap on the footpath and they will never get another house and will have to pay market price rent. Work for the dole would be enforced as well and compulosry

 

There would be some sort of bank scheme probably govt based to allow young people to get deposits for houses quickly and get them into their homes quickly even some type of wage garnish to ensure payment.

 

Its a huge job to sort all this out now because its all been right royally stuffed up for years and years so a mamoth effort would be needed. The problem is to do all this you need a revolution to get rid of the numbskulls that are there now. A coup is not likely here thats for sure

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

Holy thread resurrection.. I can't believe I agre with Pauline twice in my lifetime. Skip to 11:50 of thisd vid:

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

The bank of mum n dad is what most kids need to get into the house ( or farm ) market. It was not so years ago, I never needed ( nor would have got ) help with money.

[Bruce Tuncks]

In the meantime, I reckon that homelessness is the worst social evil there is. Years ago, there used to be govt housing for workers. Then they ran out, so they ( govts) started to use priority thinking. Before long, you needed to be on probation, a single mother, a drug addict etc. Soon, the suburbs which had a lot of welfare houses became dangerous places.

[Jerry_Atrick]

When I was a "kid" (early 20's) in Melbourne, I hadn't come across anyone homeless unitl not lon before I left Aus. 5 years later, returning to liver in Melb for a couple of years, the place was full of homeless people - about in the same proproptions ofd London, and selling the Big Issue, which had been sold in London for many moons before I arrived. WTF happened to Melbourne, waas my very first thought.

 

The UK government proved, in the pandemic, it could clean up homelessness for not too much money compared to what iut siphonis to its donors.. After the pandemic,. they were all booted out.

[nomadpete]

6 minutes ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

The UK government proved, in the pandemic, it could clean up homelessness for not too much money compared to what iut siphonis to its donors

How did they do that?

Maybe there is something our leaders could use.

(To help reduce homelessness)

[Jerry_Atrick]

They funded hostels and made available vactant buildings.

 

Resourced them with competent staff.

 

Funny how that can solve these sorts of issues..

[onetrack]

The biggest single problem with the homeless is that the largest majority of them have major levels of mental illness, which amounts to an inability to behave in a socially-acceptable manner.

Many are hoarders (note the stolen shopping trollies full of junk), many are unable to live in close quarters with others, without causing fights and being antagonistic.

Many are recently out of jail and haven't been able to cope with "life on the outside" where they need to make their own (satisfactory) decisions, instead of having everything done for them, and being regimented by authorities on a daily basis.

Addressing their mental and social deficiencies should be a primary target for the social workers - and Govts should adequately fund the mental help these people need.