I often hear Oz described as an advanced nation, with an advanced economy. But hang on a minute, is that right?

I always thought that an advanced economy was one based on manufacturing & Tertiary industries, requiring a highly educated workforce, using their brains. Looked at dispassionately Oz doesn't fit this mould too well.

What do we have? Well mining & agrarian industries, with a bit of tourism around the place. Sounds like one of the more stable African countries, than an advanced one to me.

What about our workforce. Again, lots of people driving trucks around mine sites, others driving tractors or chasing cattle around in the bush, & some making beds or waiting bar for the tourists.

After that, if your not a public servant of some kind, your working for an importer, of jumping counter in a retail shop.

I'm damned if I can see how we can consider ourselves as advanced, so perhaps it's our high tech military. But hang on, we can't even make our subs, & a lot of other stuff go, can we? Can't be that.

So we are really a third worlder, masquerading as a first world bunch.

Can you call a country slipping backwards every day a "developing" nation? No, I suppose not, so that's not us.

Well, that's not so bad really, it appears you have to be bankrupt, or damn near, to be a real first worlder.

That gives us the choice. Leave Julia & Bob playing tootsies, & we'll soon be bankrupt, so perhaps eligible for first world after all, or just sit here becoming the poor white trash of the South Pacific, when the miners leave.

There, perhaps I've placed us.

an advanced economy..is one that allows itself to be run by beurocratts..[and autoc-rats..to serve coorperte intrests..

and prepared to tax its people into early graves..[and still give corperate welfare to mulinational corperations]

prepared to sign any freetrade agreement
or go on police actions against those threatening to become first world

to keep them..in the 3rd world
or those who let economists gamble their peoples wealth
or allows govt to privatise or plunder public assets..for a token fee

regardless of the next lot
also serving the same adgendas
for the same masters..who own the earth
own the money/party/politics public service
police armed forces and policy law..me=die-sin...media and religeons

in an econmy fast going bust
run by can-do types and yes women

I was going to write a detailed response.
Point out the Apathy failure to know a basic, that must drive someone to ask such a question.
But I just can not be bothered.

Economist make it up as they go. Next to none predicted the GFC. Gillard is turning us into the Welfare economy with illegals coming daily. It certainly is keeping the unemployment level low as huge numbers of guards are required to be abused by those arriving.

I am pleased with the previous remarks, it proves that not everyone is taken in with the big whitewash brush that seems to exist in these parties dominated by Lawyers, because since almost all the Prime Ministers and Treasurers have been Lawyers since 1970, and as far as I am concerned, they have destroyed our economy, our living conditions and just about everything they have touched. Unfortunately the Liberal Party and the others appear to be no better.

...Manufacturing now 9%, was 27% of GDP. Superfunds losing money “again”.800,000 Australians looking for more work.
And trustworthiness of imported products are totally suspect: (Especially Chinese).

…Try this from a chinese “blog”:- Shanghai Scrap-

Steel quality…

...read this sight to identify the miserable demise of our exported industries; once proud Australian icons.

# What’s most disturbing is that this is not a new issue. Overseas buyers of Chinese structural steel and other ferrous products have long known that Chinese manufactured steel typically doesn’t meet the quality (and chemistry) standards of foreign countries.#

About 15 years ago, Australia was at a crossroads.
Should we take the high-tech route and invest in education and technology or provide basic resources and services? The ALP "clever country" strategy acknowledged this.

It was actually Howard to decided to make our economy directly compete with Asia for such basic services and despite his efforts, couldn't drive our wages down far enough to compete with their levels - hence the drift of manufacturing off-shore.

Add persistent consumer demand for cheaper goods and eventually we'll be left with left with mainly tourism, hospitality and foreign students propping up our economy.

Wobbles Julia will do a Greek job on Australia only because she knows no other way, destruction precedes Socialism it's the order of the day for Dictators.

I am afraid I have to agree with Hasbeen.
We have held our "Standard of Living" up by means of royalties etc.
The reduction in the tariff walls was the beginning of the end.
I remember asking many many years ago, if we import everything who will
employ those that just want to go to work in a factory and go home to
the wife and kids every day.
Many will turn their nose up at that, but in fact are they not the
backbone of every country ?

It is the concentration on the financial world that has got us into
the mess we are in now. In playing with the bits of paper we have
forgotten about the nuts and bolts of this world.

A long time ago on here I suggested we should stop import of
everything except the few things, such as large jet aircraft, that it
would not be worth our while developing.
It was a cut the world off and look after ourselves.
I was howled down for the very suggestion.

Interestingly it is beginning to look like we will be moving in that direction.
With the end of growth, the high price of transport fuel, everything
will become local.
It is inevitable, the world simply will not be able to continue with
globalisation as it has been up till now.

Hubbard, Deffeyes, Heinberg, Rubin, Campbell et al were right.

Garum Masala,

However can you consider Gillard - leader of a hung parliament, captive to various interest groups and a overriding party machine - to be some sort of dictator?

Were we really better off with a government with an overwhelming majority in both houses and no effective opposition?

Remember that Left-wing revolutions arise as the result of conservative oppression.

It's a sad world we live in has been, one that can only be saved by one group and one group alone, us. But I fear it is to late.

Our obsession with high living standards, high wages, flexible working hours and above all else, the cheapest goods, even if it means avoiding Australian made, has led us down this path and, because our population is so small and our lifestyle so good, I am afraid the road ahead ain't pretty.

We buy off the net, but we know it costs local jobs.

We choose the cheapest OS flight, knowing we may loose qantas.

We buy imported goods, knowing our manufacturing and farmers are dying a slow death.

It's a sad day when you can buy something new, for less than the repair cost of something old.

So what does our government do, they introduce the worlds highest carbon tax and over tax our miners, the one sector that supports almost everything we have and do.

So if we are an advanced economy, the envy of the civilized world, boy do I feel sorry for the others.

Greece is like Australia without the mines, except they have the numbers.

io was with ya for most of your post clubbers
[except maybe the affect of the web[as long as its not held hostage to corperate money...onm it you can fiund the means to fix most anything..[and buy stolen goods cheaply]..how do we know any shop isnt selling the same?]

but back to your quote..""So what does our government do, they introduce the worlds highest carbon tax and over tax our miners, the one sector that supports almost everything we have and do."""

what bull..mate its a huge land resources claim
money trying to find sure reurn..or increase
to wit a boom that will in time bust

look at the enmployment numbers...5%?
who will overnight..when the bubble bursts..become unemployed and steranded out bush..

sure the c02 tax is a scam
but overtaxing our miners..get real mate
they are cleaning up..selling over priced 'futures'
they will fail to deliver when they go bust..

[why?
cause all money is seeking a safe place..[till hyper inflation [quantivive easing..and stagflation..steals it all]..and you get yet more 'taxes'..to bail the rich out,,[too big to fail]



""So if we are an advanced economy,""
its allready run by teqnocrats

who the heck..is.."the envy of the civilized world,""

mate qld alone..owes neasr the same odious debt as greece
we are the same opoulation base..same debt..but the other states.ensure [underwrite]..the debt

in time you will regret your own words
""""boy do I feel sorry for the others.""

you going to loose it all [if you dont own it free and clear
even then looters will plunder and despoil it in time
or your kids will tip it at the tip
[dont shot the mess-anger]

""Greece is like Australia without the mines,
except they have the numbers.""

yep
and qld..nsw/wa..nt..
have the mines..plus the debt..soon the ursury bond rates

run the numbers
long term intrest free loans for the elites
25 percent intrest on your credit cards..[ok if not yours your kids]

banks know most parents will bailout their kids
so you get mortgauged..in time get couged..and the bank steals their inheritance[thats why ininvented the wikiseed/wikgeld]..but im over that too..

OUG, if you truly believe the real unemployment rate is 5%, just keep dreaming.

I suggest you start talking to every day people in the street, people who had job security, were not afraid to borrow money, then see how Rosie things are. It may shock you!

Now as for the miners cleaning up, I am the first to agree they should be paying more, but not in the way of this very unfair mining tax.

Furthermore, how can any scheme be seen as fair and just, when the likes of Western Australia are goimg to pay up to 65% of this tax.

BTW, did you notice China has slipped. Now that's a worry!