(continued)
• The superannuation system is robust. It's nearly always been under attack, even while it was being strengthened, and nowadays it's considered a world leader.
• Excluding 2020 (when there was a one off hit from Covid and lockdowns) GDP per capita (our best measure of productivity)was growing until this year, Interest rate rises have held it back recently, but there's no reason to believe that this is more than a short term effect; to say it's tanked is a quite absurd exaggeration.
• Defence budgets are always being reviewed. Defence spending is high and set to remain so, but spending the money in the most effective way is always a challenge.
• What's your source for the claim that "youth crime has trebled"? And over what timeframe?
• How do you determine if bureaucrats are overpaid, and what is your source for claiming that the numbers of them, and fee base permits, have doubled?
• House prices have been on an upward trend for decades, and that is likely to continue. So of course we need more housing and we need to give people more alternatives to the expensive options that currently dominate the market. But why would you think it's sinking us?
• Our currency's in the range it's long been in, and its value is sustainable. Why worry?
• Why do you think our legal system and health system are collapsing?
•V alues are changing but change, even when it's a decline, doesn't equate to collapse. Unfortunately churches suffered reputation shock from a crisis of their own making (failure to prevent abuse). Reputation restoration takes time, and many are still failing to adequately deal with the problem. And the problem is global rather than specific to Australia.

The description of "incompetent imbecile" better applies to the previous captain than the current one (who is at least trying to address the problems). But it could just as easily be applied to those shouting "we're sinking" when more objective analysis shows we're clearly not.

Dear Aidan,

«Stupid article! The ship's not sinking at all.»

Stupid indeed: not only there is no ship sinking - there is not even a ship, only solid land!

Yuyutsu,
The ship's quite obviously a metaphor. Do you have a problem with metaphors?

Dear Aidan,

I use metaphors myself, but a metaphor must show some resemblance.

One boards a ship (with the exception of a slave-carrying ship) because they want to go somewhere and the ship is presumed to sail there (or at least bring one closer to their destination).

We, ordinary people of this land, live in the continent of Australia, a very stable land mass indeed.
We just want to live our life peacefully, we have not invited that "ship" calling itself "Australia" to help us in anything, we have not asked it to take us anywhere we want to go, we rather it leaves us alone, its destination has nothing to do with our destination, yet it keeps disturbing us in nearly every turn of life.

The metaphor I have been using is of predator and prey - the state (in our particular location, that which calls itself "Australia") being the wolf and we the lambs, but if you insist on a naval metaphor, then the state can be likened to a pirate-ship: its "Captain" is not my captain and I will not shed any tears if it sinks!

The ship is the SS MENTALITY and, she is carrying a cargo of 'gimme, gimmes' & she's going down by the bow !

Many witty posts are contributed by many talented persons.
I sometimes wonder if any of you write for 'the cheap seats' in your spare time?
This amazing facility that you have shouldn't go to waste?