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The Forum > Article Comments > Some Labor states would rather rob the poor > Comments

Some Labor states would rather rob the poor : Comments

By Saul Eslake, published 21/3/2006

How odd that the Labor governments of NSW and Victoria should baulk at handing over some of their riches to poorer states.

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Shonga, why do we need a new state in NQ?

What about the points I raised in my last post, questioning whether the mooted advantages of a new state are real or just wishful thinking?

In what way is infrastructure in the north worse than in SEQ or NSW? Our schools and hospitals are no more run-down or overstressed than in the populated south. The same with water supplies.

I don’t think the state of our roads, or services and infrastructure in general, are any worse than in SEQ, or WA with which I can make personal comparisons. Of course less money is spent in the north. But it should be spent roughly on a per-capita basis, which means that the lion’s share of Queensland’s budget should get spent in the southeast corner.

It is an interesting paradox that we have such a population influx in the north, with the vast majority of new residents being quite happy with their new lives. If infrastructure and services were any worse here, then surely there would many new residents letting it be known long and loud. If it was really significantly worse over along period, as you imply it has been, then surely prospective new residents would stay away in droves.

The very fact that the north has a rapid population influx is an overwhelming indication that quality of life factors, basic infrastructure and GST expenditure here are not significantly worse than elsewhere.

“There is no tropical paradise here”.

Yep. Following cyclone Larry and with Wati poised off the coast, maybe this message will sink in a little.
Posted by Ludwig, Wednesday, 22 March 2006 8:53:46 PM
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It is time you took a little walk down reality street, Ludwig. If you think the money is evenly spread all over the state then lets just take a look at police expenditure.

The police budget for Queensland works out at about $300 per person and there is one officer for every 415 people. So with this in mind I would like you to check out a small shire near you, check the population, and multiply that by the $300 to get what that shire is paying each year for police services.

You can then divide the population by 415 to determine what the pro-rata police entitlement should be. And then compare that with the actual police establishment.

If you can get back to us here with that information we can then determine exactly how evenly these public funds are distributed. Are you game?
Posted by Perseus, Wednesday, 22 March 2006 9:59:49 PM
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Perseus, you won’t get any disagreement from me regarding terrible underpolicing in Queensland. But as with health and various other services and infrastructures, it is the same across the state, and then not greatly different to other states.

You are bound to find variations across the state, but can you really assert that all rural or regional communities are at a significant disadvantage, or that they are on average at a significant disadvantage, or that ANY are at a significant disadvantage?

One thing we need to be aware of as far as policing is concerned is that crime rate and general strife is not only greater in larger population centres, but is greater on a per-capita basis. So it makes sense that there should be disproportionately more police in larger centres and more populated regions.

Would you like to do the research, as you are semi-retired and are a numbers man?

I’m certainly interested to see what you come up with.

Could you also address the three points from my second last post. Thanks.
Posted by Ludwig, Wednesday, 22 March 2006 11:16:31 PM
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Ludwig, it is a bit hard for me to determine the police staffing levels of a country shire from Brisbane. I will certainly do the work but the least you can do is provide me with some police numbers in a shire near you. I have the pop. stats for each shire so can do the rest. In the mean time it would be prudent to curb your opinionating until the data is in.
Posted by Perseus, Thursday, 23 March 2006 9:52:13 AM
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Ah! Winston you have returned, mate why not save time and simply type "It's a communist plot" to every article, lets face it, it would help you save time, and it would help us save reading, a win, win situation.
Posted by SHONGA, Thursday, 23 March 2006 11:16:54 AM
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We have to look on the bright side of Cyclone Larry,if Kim Beasely becomes our next Prime Misister,we can't become a "Banana Republic".

Yes ,we have no bananas,we have no bananas,hooray!
Posted by Arjay, Thursday, 23 March 2006 7:13:10 PM
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