The people of Sydney are over it.Over taxed,over regulated,poor transport,health,expensive incompetent Govt,road tolls...The list goes on.Nobody is surprised by Govt stuff ups or complains.It is now considered to be the norm. Even if we get good Govt under Barry O'Farrell,it will take at least a decade to turn things around.Can people afford to wait?John Howard recently described the Iemma/Carr Govt as, "The most conscientiouslly incompetent Govt he had ever known."

They have no choice but to sell off our power assets and Barry O'Farrell will have to do likewise if he wins the next election.

This has serious ramifications for future investment since many are already moving to QLD WA and even Vict.If this trend continues to gather momentum,then investors will desert this State in droves.As the baby boomers retire, this will be the last State they will stay just to see their nest eggs gobbled up by bloated bureaucracies.

The quality of life in Sydney also has taken serious nose dive.There is a lot of anger and frustration.People are rude and inconsiderate since it not only takes hours for many to commute to work,it costs a fortune just to surivive.

Can our NSW Public Service undergo a serious rationalisation in time to overt total decay?

And now is the time for all those folk who whinned on and on about not being able to afford a 'shoe-box-in-middle-of-road' to live in and how houses were no longer 'affordable' to jump in and make a 'killing'.

But I doubt they will, they will be off finding some new blight on their existence to complain about....

Col,sell up your NSW assets now and invest in QLD or WA.Property in NSW will see no growth [if all goes well],until next Spring.China will probably suffer post Olympic Blues.

Unless we spell it out to the fat cats of NSW,nothing will change,even if Barry gets into power.You have to put the fear of Yahweh in them before they even reach some semblance of consciousness.

I'm with Col on this.

The potential exodus (in whose dreams, by the way?) of 50% of "Sydney Siders" can only be wonderful news for those of us who thoroughly enjoy the city, its good bits and bad bits, but above all its "cool" factor.

Especially on a magical spring morning like today, when the sun is shining and the harbour is picture-perfect...

That isn't to say that the State isn't being managed appallingly by the present government. It is as corrupt and as incompetent as any I have known in twenty-odd years - and that includes the unbelievable Wran... the things that government got away with still boggle the mind.

There will always be the moaners and whingers, basically because we have become accustomed to the idea that it is the job of everyone else to provide for our own particular comfort. The permanent moans from the apartments behind Luna Park about "noise pollution" are a classic example - as if they didn't notice that their apartment backed onto a funfair when they bought it.

The rail system is an utter disgrace, and no-one has a clue how to fix it. The planning process is a joke, with constant battles between local councils and the State government - most of which, strangely, seem to be resolved in favour of the developers.

All this is fundamentally irrelevant, however, when it comes to choosing a place to live and work.

I have lived in other capital cities in Australia, and as far as I can recall, the quality of State government didn't once feature on my checklist. I'm fairly certain that when I make my next move, it will again come stone dead last.

When will people realise that nearly every problem is caused by too much congestion caused by too many people demanding too many services and always expecting someone else to pay.

"I want hospitals, public transport, cheap water cheap energy, schools, social security, police, roads, clean air and pollution control, subsidised health, defence, border security, baby bonus, subsidised housing, unemployment benefit and a bureaucracy to run it all...........but my taxes are too high and I want someone else to give it to me"

If you want efficient government with lower taxes, be more self sufficient.

Really ArJay ?
Do you really think it is like that ?
I presume you don't live in Sydney.

The only problem I see is the massive number of interstate trucks on
Pennant Hills Rd. Picking up delivering to/from interstate.

Mind you I have to say I am no fan of the Iemma Government.

The constant knocking of the railway system is overdone.
It is reasonably reliable in timing.
However when I travel by air I always go to the airport by train.
I think that speaks for itself.
Being on the east coast we are in an ideal location for climate.
Much better weather than all other capitals. Not too far North and
not too far south. I have just spent a week in Bleak City so I know
which is better.

Housing prices are the only disadvantage that I see and don't start me on that.
The feminists don't like my opinion on that.
Our problem is not people leaving it is numbers that want to come and live here.
Some advocate stopping any further development applications being approved.
It would kill the building industry but might be needed.