I've been watching the news, reading
the papers - and frankly I'm sick of
all the politics.

I can't help but wonder - what sort of country this
will be years from now... Will we have
solved our refugee problem? How big
should our population be? Will we have
discovered a cure for cancer and aids?

What about our water shortage problem?
Will we have solved the drought problem,
what about bush-fires? Energy? Will
we go nuclear? Will we become a Republic?

So many questions - and I don't expect
answers to each and every one. However,
I would be interested to hear other
posters views on what sort of country
they would like to see us leave
for our grandchildren? What is your vision
for Australia, and what do you think the
reality will be?

Your thoughts please?

It could go either way Foxy.We must act now and stop the lunatics from going to war.Israel is trying to force a war with Iran.It is all about power and greed.

Our Govt will do the bidding of the war mongerers if we let them.So become aware and do something about it.

what sort of country they would like to see us leave for our grandchildren?
Foxy,
I certainly wish for a nicer one than the one my grandson's grandfather lives in.

global peace and sustainable prosperity once balance is restored between women and men in the instruments of governance which will occur in Australia with the declaration of an equal rights republic within the next few years.

I'm afraid that any answer I give which is sincere.. will be the one you don't particularly wish to hear...

and any I give which sounds GREAT will in fact be either misguided optimism or a scam.

My 'big picture' of the Australia of the future is one where we will have some serious problems. It depends of course on many things.

Our economy is a time bomb.. just waiting for the right trigger.

I'll have much more to say about this soon..when I can get to the figures with more ease..

This is the DFAT big picture which shows instantly that our biggest export is.....COAL.

Can't quite see why we export 7 billion in crude Petroleum and import 12 billion in crude petroleum

Approximately half of our exports come from stuff we dig up or suck out of the ground. The biggest, being coal, is likely to be a target of an increasingly 'Climate Change' oriented world....so.. we might have to kiss that one goodbye soon.

SUMMARY

1/ Mining/resources are finite and will end/deplete.
2/ Agriculture is rather limited to present outputs (weather/water/soil)
3/ Manufacturing will ONLY expand by 'ultra' high tech (but low labor) innovation or by Government/Union deals (short term and not economically viable long term) which will retain workers for the sake of votes.
4/ "Services" exports are equalled by services IMPORTS.
5/ A discovery of large iron ore and coal deposits in Tibet or China will instantly KILL our whole country and economy. (30% of GDP *gone*)

My advice ?

a)Pay off your mortgage. (fast)
b)Learn to cultivate your back yard or block
c) Form networks to barter and just survive.

I'll save the 'good' news for my scam :)

FOXY.. all those other things you mentioned will be of little signifance when the crunch comes .. except... well..you might like to see a preview....here:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/looters-shot-dead-amid-chaos-of-papua-new-guineas-anti-chinese-riots/story-e6frg6no-1225715006615

Dear Arjay,

I'm a bit more optimistic.

I don't think that any power wants a war,
especially when the possibility of a
nuclear war is very real. The risks are
too great.

Dear Individual,

Could you expand just a little on what you
mean by "nicer?"

Dear Whistler,

Your optimism does you credit.

Dear AG,

Let us look at history. Germany was on the
decline after the first world war. Hitler
attempted to revive it with a resultant
total destruction. Today Germany has revived
and is one of the leading economic democracies.
So too Australia will go through a cycle but
it will survive. It will develop new technologies
and will forge ahead.
Let us not forget that many of the great inventions
of the modern technological world came from Australia.
We have the people and the talent in this country to
excel. We don't give up easily. That's the nature of
being Australian.