I was going to be a little scathing of the article,but then I realised: this is a "23-year old Generation Y female" writing. What's more,she's a 23 year old Generation Y female with an Arts degree - of course she expects special treatment. Of course she expects her pieces to be published uncritically and on demand. Of course she thinks "oldies" are sponges on her generation, soaking up resources that should be used to keep 23-year old Generation Y females in the style to which they think they are entitled. Of course she's a "feminist". Of course she thinks her book should be published (no doubt with associated large advance) even though it's not "commercial" (such a terrible thing,if you're a 23-year old Generation Y female Arts grad).

These are all understandable effects of her education and the curent cultural mores. What is deserving of at least a little scathing is the somewhat comfused nature of the article itself. On the one hand she criticises Bernard Salt for advocating a growth paradigm in Australia, on the other she criticises him for expounding the reasonable view that most of the world will not be able to sustain such population growth and hence some form of catastrophic collapse will occur.

I encourage Ms Heinrichs to continue to write, and I urge her to consider views which do no gel perfectly with her own. As any "oldie" will tell her, this is the way to learn. I'm sure she's up to it, even if she is a "23-year old Generation Y female"...

To the couple of posters who suggested that Ms Heinrichs's views of baby-boomers as cashed-up retirees desperate to cling to their ill-deserved money might be less than accurate, perhaps they are informed by the privileged upbringing she has enjoyed. If all of your parents' friends are well-off and you spend your life on the North Shore of Sydney, then perhaps it is possible that your view of those older than you is somewhat skewed.

I wonder: does Fiona still live at home? I'm betting the answer is "yes" and I'm also betting that Dad pays all the bills.

My goodness!

What a bitter, angry, little... (um-ah) ...article.

A much more cohesive demolition of Salt's reputation was published a few weeks earlier on this site.
The author's blithe dismissal of older generations as working only to keep her out of a job is evidence, perhaps, of her youthful 'me' orientation.
In time, she will gain a fuller perspective of older people and why they work on.
Perhaps the term GFC is over her head?
For some reason, I am left feeling a little... annoyed.
A feeling I shall no doubt get used to, as my own children grow much wiser than me in their teenage years.