When the electricity bill is higher than the wages bill!? you know you've got trouble. Globalisation is here to stay, like a hugely engineered Murray Darling basin. When diesel is cheaper than reticulated coal-fired energy created in power stations we own and burning our coal as their fuel!

It's then you know that there are incompetents at the wheel who, if they cant sell income-earning public assets, use them as the government's personal ATM and to hell with the social consequences.

We need our farmers t stay viable and on their farms. what we don't need to do, is subsidise their production models with taxpayer's subsidies. But rather brings down the cost of endlessly reliable water and energy, and indeed transport costs.

All doable via the above examples! If we could just eliminate the vested interests, shysters incompetent, corrupt, money-wasting/pocketing pollies/public servants that want something else, plus a free ride and a free lunch etc-etc.

And if the cap fits?
Alan B.

When I was a kid we had a small orchard. Not a full living, so dad worked in town as well. Ours were top quality peaches & nectarines, so brought top prices. However that was mid 50s, so it is rather ridiculous that today I can buy peaches & nectarines retail for less than we were paid for ours 70 years ago.

The Burrum river district was once a great citrus growing district with many orchards lining it's banks. They are all gone today. As with our stone fruit, the prices paid to farmers for their fruit has not increased in the same period. The last one I knew finally gave up when he got less than the cost of the boxes & freight sending really nice fruit to market for all 8 shipments that year.

You have to have rocks in your head to try to do anything other than broad acre cropping in Oz today. Those who do it are only doing it because they love the life, not because it offers a decent living.

And some Australians believe China and/or Indonesia are our biggest threat !
Isn't it time to start thinking about the enemy within ?
The previous posters have it all summed up. What else can be done to wake this population ?
I'm certain that only the introduction of a National Service can remedy the dumbing down !

Hey Alan B,

USA Silence War in Venezuela for the Thorium
http://steemit.com/news/@paolonews/usa-silence-war-in-venezuela-for-the-thorium

The Rare Earth Minerals In Venezuela The US Government Does Not Want You To Know About
http://youtu.be/2aUOGewpPvc

The US may have suppressed thorium because it already has economic and military dominance.

At least there are two sensible posts on here today. Thank you Hasbeen and Cyclone. As for the rest ... sadness comes to mind .