"lead by the productive mining community " - hang on Hasbeen, the mining community is profitable, not necessarily productive. There are huge levels of waste in mining operations, oft lamented by those working in the industry that were trained under more austere conditions.

Howard was the one who ramped up "family welfare", and cut taxes on the back of the last mining boom. Much better to have either saved the excess or put it back into infrastructure development. Both sides of politics are just as quick to pander to the masses!

Just goes to show why small minded people can be trusted, hey LEGO:)

http://mpa.nsw.gov.au/pdf/jbmp-zoning-plan-user-guide-map-2011.pdf

"That is why I hate greenies and love AIDS." Oh that's whats wrong with you:) well remember to wear a condom next time:) and stay away from Nimbin...lol...you will all thank the greens in the end.

Oh dear:)

LEAP

Hay Gal, I only said Howard saw the problem, not that he, or anyone else including me, had the right idea about how to fix it.

You would think that the people of Greece, & the UK could see where they are heading, but it appears they can't.

We have seen the same scenario played out in the UK about 40 years ago, when militant unions destroyed their manufacturing industry, [starting with automotive] then their mining.

None of their political parties had any idea how to fix it, & the unions, & bleeding hearts, wouldn't have let them anyway.

They were saved, in the short term, by north sea oil. As that runs out they are in even greater poo than before, with stupid greenie excesses adding to their problems this time.

If this doesn't look pretty much like what's happening here to you, you're not looking too closely. Yes mining is dreadfully wasteful, but it's all that pays our way now. As neither side of politics are prepared to trim our snowball of a public service, I afraid we're all rolling down hill with then. God help us when the mines run dry.

I would love to be pontificating with "all the answers", but I'm damned If I can see one, other than a complete crash, & new start, which is not the future I'd hoped my kids had to look forward to.

I dont miss what you are saying at all Hasbeen, just that I mistakenly thought you were heaping praise at Howards door. There is a constant whinge that we are amongst the most highly taxed in the world, but looking at a schedule of individual and company taxes in last weeks BRW, yes Australia is on the higher end (certainly not the highest), the countries with low taxation..... yep Greece, ireland, Portgual etc etc. I dont think that we will end up where they are in a hurry (for starters their biggest issue is Govt debt, and we still dont have much in the scheme of things). But there are significant areas for reform in taxation and welfare. For starters, put welfare on a marginal system like taxation, rather than a phase-out with each extra dollar earned. Its a little harsh for those people that will be bumped up over the next threshold cut-back, but more incentive for those within a threshold to work harder and earn more (rather than cop an effective tax rate of 70%) - and yes I know the arguments about it being a safety-net and not a right, but it needs to be structured to ensure that it is not a deterrent to people to be earning more, otherwise they wont.

I dont think that we will end up where they are in a hurry
Country Gal,
The live beef export ban will see to a quickening of this downward trend. Greece may look not so pale in comparison to Australia if Labor doesn't get voted out soon. What we in Australia got to accept is that we need to do something very soon to curb the insane Public service machine. We need to freeze & in many cases also cut public service wages. Unless you can suggest how we can continue without getting worse.

Hasbeen,

The retirement age in Greece is about middle range for OECD countries.

http://topforeignstocks.com/wp/2010/02/09/a-review-of-retirement-age-in-oecd-countries/

However, Greece may be a warm up exercise for what happens if the US goes under, and is unable to pay the interest on its debts, with estimates of over $13 trillion dollars in debts to pay, and still borrowing money at over $160 million dollars per hour.

If the value of the US dollar declines, what is left of much of Australia's export industry also declines, and if coal prices were to decline to what they were in the year 2000, Australia would also be in the same situation as Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and also France, UK etc.

You are correct in that climate change is not the greatest immediate threat to the world.