Shadow,

There is no evidence that Australia was ever subjected to "rabid socialism", just the opposite, with mostly conservative, or moderately socialistic governments in control during what could be termed the period of "nation building" 1901-1960. During this time the emphasis of government was directed towards the construction of infrastructure, roads, rail, ports, bridges, power stations etc. Without government intervention many, if not all, of these great undertakings would have never got off the ground.
Prewar, private foreign investment (British) in Australia was restricted to agriculture, with no interest in secondary industry investment. Post war, government encouraged foreign investment in new sunrise industries, steel production, automobiles, white goods etc, but most have failed, and that is not the fault of government. In fact government gave generous incentives to private investors to set up and operate in Australia.
Can you show how Australia was ever subjected to "rabid socialism".

Paul,

Clearly your concept of moderate and mine are far different.

The early seventies (and late 40s to some extent) are prime examples of rabid socialism where trade unionism was enforced (most union members were forced to be as a condition of employment), and social engineering was rampant with no regard to any fiscal discipline, and personal tax rates peaked at a marginal rate of 70% and company taxes at 48%.

China's rather obvious expansionist goal is to conduct an economic invasion of Australia.

China's own country is becoming an industrial wasteland fouled by pollution and they want clean food from Australia but they want to also OWN the food production here in Australia.

The govt has recognized China's expansionist ambitions and has sensibly stopped China getting control of such vital infrastructure as the power grid.

Prince Charles will own your house because Cook gave it to George III. America owns your Holden. Kiwis own the fruit.

From China's point of view to own the farms as well as the processing
and the ships that take the food/milk etc to China is the best arrangement
as the profit from the whole chain can by arranging prices leave
most if not all profit to be made in China.
This is known as tranfer pricing.

If you saw 4 corners last night what is the bet that most of the
shareholders in Murray Goulburn Devondale are Chinese.
Murray Goulburn is a co-op that has by some arrangement floated partly
on the stock market. A strange arrangement.

Ever get the feeling we are being taken for mugs ?

Obviously Shadow,

My concept of rabid socialism would include nationalisation of industry, strict economic controls with capitalism very much of a minor influence, government intervention into society in general, through social engineering would be the norm. I do not think Australian governments have been guilty to any great degree of rabid socialism. The time when Australia came closest to those conditions was 1939-45. As war measures required far more intrusion than normal by government, but capitalism was still allowed to flourish and profit substantially under the governments war measures.
I think you base your belief that Australia suffered from rabid socialism during the two periods of Labor Governments post war is based more on your philosophical views than any thing else. Tax rates are not a indicator of rabid socialism, in that case you could argue that the Menzies government was rabid socialist compared to the Keating government.