The Lucky Country

Knut

Knut

Troll hunter
I remember that saying.

With manufacturing, wholesaling/importing, retail industries going against the wall. What's happening to our lucky country. Taxes through the roof. Unions threatening strikes. Yet there seems to be a bizarre "it won't happen to me" ideal. The mining boom will eventually weaken. It certainly doesn't show it's strength accross the country.

This is not a "doom on you" thread. Maybe, somewhere there is some insight to what is going on with this nation of ours.
 
workmx

workmx

Banned
my02 said:
Who said it was the lucky country and why?
Click to expand...
Exactly, it was ironic when used by Donald Horne.

Donald can answer this in his own words.

"When I invented the phrase in 1964 to describe Australia, I said: 'Australia is a lucky country run by second rate people who share its luck.' I didn't mean that it had a lot of material resources … I had in mind the idea of Australia as a [British] derived society whose prosperity in the great age of manufacturing came from the luck of its historical origins … In the lucky style we have never 'earned' our democracy. We simply went along with some British habits."

Death of the Lucky Country.

"I have had to sit through the most appalling rubbish as successive generations misapplied this phrase."

http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/lucky-country
 
N

NZSNOWDOG

Likes Dirt
Australians generally dont know how good they have it,or have had it.
The problems-welcome to western democratic capitalism.
 
Trigger02

Trigger02

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Knut said:
I remember that saying.

With manufacturing, wholesaling/importing, retail industries going against the wall. What's happening to our lucky country. Taxes through the roof. Unions threatening strikes. Yet there seems to be a bizarre "it won't happen to me" ideal. The mining boom will eventually weaken. It certainly doesn't show it's strength accross the country.

This is not a "doom on you" thread. Maybe, somewhere there is some insight to what is going on with this nation of ours.
Click to expand...
We were lucky now we have to put up the crap the rest of the world faces..... WOW poor people we are!! Most aussies think/brainwashed in to believeing humans have no impact on this planet lol Brainwashed and lucky!!!
 
X

Xavo.au

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I always thought we were the lucky country to not have the problems of terrorism, war (on our land that is) and massive amounts of extreme poverty (slums and that kinda thing in cities etc).

I guess in those regards, we still are the lucky country.
 
PINT of Stella. mate!

PINT of Stella. mate!

Many, many Scotches
Xavo.au said:
I always thought we were the lucky country to not have the problems of terrorism, war (on our land that is) and massive amounts of extreme poverty (slums and that kinda thing in cities etc).

I guess in those regards, we still are the lucky country.
Click to expand...
Interesting opinion piece in todays fairfax press. Seems to be a little bit more level-headed than Abbott's gobshite about BHP's project postponements being the fault of the carbon tax.

http://www.theage.com.au/business/the-boom-goes-on--without-the-bubble-20120823-24nl9.html

I particularly like the line at the end : "We're the nation that complains about winning silver medals"
 
Knut

Knut

Troll hunter
I realise we are lucky for reasons of peace within our community etc. I understand that life is not all doom and gloom in Australia. I have very good reason to stay, not leave because I don't like it.

Back to the point. There is a couple of streets in an industrial suburb in my home town that used to be a hive of activity. Industrial welding, general and structural engineering, petrochemical contractors. Now there are three remaing businesses. Companies are hitting the wall hard and it's not due to poor management, more to do with only so far the dollar can roll. Unions are pushing for strike action, but there is nowhere to go.

Almost everyone owned a Ford or Holden and was proud to own something built here. How long ago was it that posessions were second to families? Could we could all afford nice things, such as XX and Enve? We seem to be spending more time working than with our families. But, the future is nowhere near as certain.

Things are good in many ways, but tight in others.

Of course as the population grows, the dynamic of a nation changes. I wonder sometimes if we bargained ourselves out of our own market.
 
Last edited:
Morgan123

Morgan123

Likes Dirt
Definitely think the unions are starting to take things too far, not so much on the pay rate but the amount of safety precautions and red tape on big projects is insane. I wonder if China will ever move that way, I guess being more corrupt (maybe too harsh of a word) and a population over a billion means they probably won't.
 
Last edited:
thecat

thecat

NSWMTB, Central Tableland MBC
We're slowly turning into th whinging country.

Once upon a time we were thankful for what we had, now is all "I'm so poor... cost of living.." get farked!

average Aussie income is close to $70 000 with a disposable income of around $35 000
That puts you in the top 5% in the world. Stop crying poor and get on with it.
 
jrewing

jrewing

Eats Squid
I know we're are an increasing nation of narrow minded, do-gooder, law fearing dip shits and it is laden with beuracratic restraints anywhere you turn.
It's like they're gremlins and someone's hosing the fark out of em.
 
Nerf Herder

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
As a Kid I often asked my parents why the hell we moved here ... it was normally asked after an encounter with some fucktard who yelled the "Mr Wong, Mr Wong I lost my travellers Cheque" ad line at me and then got a rolled news paper stuffed up their nose ... anyway their response usually ran along the lines of:

i) As Australia doesn't sit on a fault line there are few earth quakes here ... this is why we didn't move to New Zealand (Damn you Mom and Dad)
ii) No volcanoes
iii) No Typhoons
iv) No Flooding in the cities ... usually anyway
v) No Dictators or Martial Law
vi) Good hospitals
vii) No inter-tribal massacres or religious inspired genocide
viii) No football Hooligans ... well they didn't go to team sports events so what did they know ... this is why they didn't go to the UK (phew)
ix) No Klu Klax Klan ... well ... at least they didn't wear sheets over their heads and burn crosses on your lawn ... This is why they didn't move to the States (Damn you Mom and Dad)
x) No regular black outs
xi) No shantitowns
xii) Food is plentiful
xiii) Education was cheap
xiv)) and if you want to work, you could always find work as there were plenty of lazy white people that wanted something for nothing.

Alot of these things haven't changed, whilst really only item v) has changed in my mutherland ... so I reckon Aussie is still pretty lucky ... but whats better is the more people that don't realise this, the luckier it gets for those that do.
 
Knut

Knut

Troll hunter
[SUP]Yes, hard working people are almost extinct. Those happy with what they have and are happy to work harder for more, are similarly rare. If they take the work someone else is too lazy or proud for, good luck to them. The constraints of over safety is adding to the cost of things. Why can't we walk that side of the yellow line without safety glasses and holiday pay, yet five minutes later we drive a two tonne vehicle whist using a mobile phone, screaming at the guy who pulled into the lane in front of us. Threatening to take his life with our car No, I don't think we as a nation are so pissed off that we scored two gold medals. I think most reallise that it's a mean feat to get there in the first place. Whingers, I would have to aggree. Fact is, they haven't been to countries similar to Nerf's explanation and no doubt, will never know how lucky we are.

I look at how many new cars head down the highway everyday, most have one occupant. I wonder how long they are away from home. Yep, it's the choice they make. I have made my sacrifices, now I can stay closer to home. How do these people afford the house/car/boat and live entertaining and keeping appearances. They must be close to the wire. [/SUP]
 
Mywifesirrational

Mywifesirrational

I however am very normal. Trust me.
That's a good list Nerf,

xiii) Education is the most important one in my view, because it enables so many opportunities, its available to anyone who wants learn regardless of your background or wealth. I was an uneducated ditch digger in 1995, through the services provided and education system (and a shit load of hard work and borderline poverty) I was able to do my VCE in an adult environment out of work hours, get myself into uni - with a deferred payment system (HECS) with government payments to support myself (Austudy) and next year I'll be a Dr (from a tax funded scholarship). Australia has it faults, but over all it is the 'lucky' - great country.

I'd also add:

xv) No (excessive) caste system or class divide
xvi) Like them or hate them, the Police here are pretty good - little to no corruption.

Some bad things - we have horrific bushfires, bad flooding and bogans. - but compared to natural disasters overseas and religous nutbars, KKK, supremicists... ours isn't to bad.
 
N

NZSNOWDOG

Likes Dirt
Hey nerf herder,unless your seriously wealthy,NZ aint all that.
Look at how many kiwis are coming to OZ,and are enjoying life(not just working their arses off just to get by,me included).
Its lousy how the dollar can have such an impact on life,but it seems a bit of a reality.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top