Mister Ken Boundy,

Would it hurt you too much changing your address from Australian citizen to citizen of the World?

Were you to make such change, your vision would get larger.

Maybe you can talk to the Leftist faction of the political scene who see us as too rich, too developed and in need of having our economy's wing's clipped through a Carbon Tax. Singapore and Norway are democracies and progress quite well so its not democracy thats the problem.

We DO have a future fund, its just that the Labor Party raided it and wasted the money on ridiculous schemes.

Too many Left wing ideologues who hate business and progress of any sort and replace funding for basic programs such as transport infrastructure with funding for ideologically driven schemes of little importance which are ultimately rorted.

“The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, released a new report today that shows Australia experienced its biggest annual exodus on record with 76 923 people leaving the country permanently in 2007-08.

The 76 923 people that departed Australia permanently in 2007-08 represents a 6.7 per cent increase on the previous year and a 325 per cent increase on the low of 18 100 people who left permanently in 1985-86."

The Emigration 2007-2008 report reveals that almost half the Australian residents that left permanently were in skilled jobs and nearly two thirds were aged between 25 and 54.

http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/media-releases/2008/ce08098.htm

This brain drain represents a vote of no confidence in the country, and I wouldn’t say a vote of no confidence in our governments only.

It may not be worth staying in this country with its high housing costs, a loss of national identity because of multiculturalism, a loss of our natural environments, and feminism and the desecration of our families.

It may also mean that many of those with initiative go elsewhere, leaving behind a rather mundane bunch of consumers and sheeple.

For a start we should cut our ties with the culture
of the USA and develop our own.

Cut out ties with US Imperialism
Why are US troops in Northern Australia at this very moment?
Will the US reciprocate hosting Australian troops training in the USA
to a similar size? We are just being used by many countries for what we have.
Up to 22,000 US and Australian personnel will take part in Exercise Talisman Sabre in northern Australia, including the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

Very good points Ken.

A lot of inertia originates from the stifling effect of our indistiguishable political duopoly.

We had a Labor government who had fresh ideas and momentum but couldn't implement, got lost in the polls and topped their leader.

Now we have a labourious Labor government weighed down by independents and greens which has totally lost it's way by paying too much attention to the persistent barking of the rabid right.

So. We are hamstrung between a lack of confidence and a bunch of psychotic tories.

The funny thing is there is not much difference between them. Sure Swan is full of Labor spin but can you imagine Hockey as treasurer?

We have a dysfunctional political system. Why? Because there is no real difference between the the major bland brands. The argument is over minute points of difference rather than substance. Petty, pedantic and insignificant ideology is the means, power is the ends. This is why we have a hung parliament. The swinging voters who decide elections know both sides are full of sh1t.

While I find the lack of conviction from the Labor supporters is insipid, the polls indicate that the hypocritical lunatic howling from the tory Liberals convinces me that Tony is correct that he can fool most of the people most of the time (67% apparently).

We are in inertia because we have politicians whose only aim is to be in power. And the job of the opposition is to oppose. Regardless.

Our political system produces politicians. What we need are leaders with vision and authority for action.

The only problem is the braindead rusted on tories and union hacks (88% apparently).

Good article Ken.

Global citizenry is all very well but we are hardly citizens of the world when there is no uniformity of governance and equity in pay rates etc. National sovereignty has become a dirty word, those with the most economic clout ride roughshod over the rest of the world, exploiting the cheapest labour, increasing food prices and damaging environments without accountability. The idea that cheap labour means cheaper goods for consumers has proven to be a furphy especially if one compares labour costs to end price and analyse how the wealth is distributed.

Neutral's post sums up the problems with our democracy and the failures in a dominant two party system. The fact Independents and Greens have increased their vote perhaps is a sign the worm is turning.