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 21/3/2006How 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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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.