Well, it's wrong to say that we are ALL socialists now; I and many many Australians would object to that. But it is true that both the only two parties capable of forming a government are certainly left wing, which condition is grooming us for a Chinese-style one party system. Two parties doing the same thing is just the same as one party doing it - and more expensive. Our only hope is for people to have the courage to vote for the growing number of independents and small parties. But NOT, please, the Voice for mob claiming to be disaffected Liberal voters. They have never voted Liberal, and are stooges for the Greens Party.

The folk attracted to parliament today are good at political debate. But come up short when they're asked to manage the economy. And by and large a science free zone? Moreover, not even competent in setting the best practice management paradigms?

I mean where are the costs in managing a business? Labour? Well, the average cost of labour averages 16% of the bottom line? Whereas, the energy bill is usually double that? And that impacts on the cost of everything/transport/water/manufactured/processed goods and all services! All of which come with a cascading tax burden!

As for we being all socialists? A meaningless label! There's just good and bad. or up and down. In or out? And politicians always quarantined from their decisions! And mostly tin-eared recalcitrants?

One recalls how Lance Handcock went hat in hand to virtually every parliament in the land, looking for modest funding for literal mountains of the best iron ore in the world.

You guessed it, was treated as a con artist by those who judge all others by their own flawed standards? thus we've seen billions lost to our economy!

This would not have been the case, if we were indeed, all socialists! Then there's the flood tide of our best minds and their best ideas going offshore! Not what usually would happen if we were all socialist!

Consequently, we've lost trillions that could have stayed here and if coupled to cooperative capitalism? Seen every one of those lost dollars doing the work of seven!
Alan B.

ttbn,
>Two parties doing the same thing is just the same as one party doing it
No it isn't.

When two parties do the same thing, the threat of voting for the other one is a deterrent to corruption. And indeed in Australia it looks like the threat will be carried out at the next Federal election.

But with just one party, nothing can be done about corruption unless those in power want to do something about it. And where there's corruption at the top, as there is in China, the problem will never go away until those in charge die off.

The government failed to quarantine the nation effectively from an foreign contagion.

For me: No tests, No Covid, No vacinne.
In my world covid doesn't hardly exist, and I live 45 mins from the CBD
All you need to do is turn of the TV.
Life's much better when you cut out the fearmongering

- I'm not the one who ruined the country -

"Can-do Capitalism" typically and historically requires taxpayer funded bailouts and subsidies to function and as a safety net when it fails.

It also requires public roads to transport its goods, public hospitals and education facilities to tend to and prepare their employees and customers, police and fire services to protect their property as well as publicly constructed energy and water infrastructure. All these can be considered socialist initiatives vital for Capitalism to even exist and all these are funded by taxpayers (although not by some of the corporate beneficiaries).

More recently the Jobkeeper handouts are nothing but another example of socialism at work and even the shakey Aged Care sector is publicly subsidised, regardless of who is making a profit.

Socialism is inherent in our economy and society, regardless of philosophical opinion.