Personally, I think we should be very worried, worried about where we are now, in comparison to just over ten years ago.

Back then we had zero debt, where as now I believe our debt is around 680 billion.

Our retailers are replacing staff with machines, online retail is taking a strong hold, and many small retailers are looking shaky.

So, here we are a decade later, with fewer REAL jobs, less potential jobs due to automation, which means less taxes to pay down the debt.

So I ask again, should we be worried, and is there any way we can get back on track.

Bricks and mortar retailing is in trouble. There used to be 18 general bookshops in Adelaide, now there is one, Dymocks. People are buying books online. I confess to downloading e-books from Google: half or less the price, and no need for vast storage space.

For every one job created by Amazon (which sells everything) 30 jobs in retail are lost.

What can be done? Damned if I know.

I would add high on the list, both political parties want to fill the country with 100's of thousands of more people when most big cities infrastructure is straining to cope with what they have at the moment.

It is possible your $680 Billion needs to be corrected or broadened to include other institutions that borrow lots of money, "Australia’s net foreign debt is in excess of $1 trillion — more than 56 per cent of gross domestic product — which means that Australian financial and corporate institutions are heavily exposed to international overseas economic events, especially as they pertain to the international credit market."

I will be interested what Aidan says it was only recently he stated quote "We are a rich country", there is the problem with not only him but a lot of others who have that opinion.

The people who create the problem don't worry 1 because it is not coming out of there pocket and they have there indexed for life pension.

Of the OECD countries Australia's PM is the highest paid leader, that is ludicrous.
Gillards pension is over $200,000 per year, plus other benefits.

Dear rehctub,

I watched "Q and A" last night (28/05/2018) and questions
from the audience certainly painted a picture of concern
regarding jobs and Australia's economic future. It seems
that you're certainly not the only one who's concerned.

I've always had full-time secure jobs so I couldn't get my head
around the "gig" casual type of employment that they were
talking about and the problems that these job represented.
I guess times are changing and whether we should be concerned
or not - I frankly don't know. I'm not an economic expert.
However according to links that I've read it seems that
our future depends on decisions made today and that means it is
important to get some early insights into what the
alternatives really are.

We're told that we need careful though in any personal,
community, regional, and national planning.

I don't know if this will help but Mike Callaghan gives
an insight that might be of interest:

http://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/does-it-matter-if-australia-no-longer-among-top-20-largest-economies

I doubt we can get it back on track rehctub. Decades ago I read somewhere that democracy was ultimately self destructive. Garbage I thought. I filed away the idea that as more people discovered they could vote, rather than work for a living, democracy would die of starvation.

Then I watched the UK ship building & car making industries destroyed by the unions, pricing their members out of their industry. The workforce not willing to produce enough to pay their way.

I watched the growth of the disability bludger in Oz. Smiled as some commissioner told a doctor that they might have to close his surgery, as it appeared that just walking through the door of his surgery gave people a bad back. Still it got worse.

Now the starvation is setting in, as half the population receive more in handouts than they pay in tax. They actually contribute nothing. Only some major catastrophe, which totally changes our attitude from takers to self sufficient providers can save us now. I think we may have had it too good for too long now, for us to do the hard stuff ever again.

Hasbeen.

You oversimplify the problem this country has become.
Kicking the unionists and welfare cheats cans down the road, is juvenile.

What about a focus on the other end of society. Let's say Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten.

Don't you think there is something to be said about the leadership of a country being guided by a wealthy tax cheat, (an embezzler of public funds), and a thieving union organiser, who stole from the poorest of the working class; cleaners!

Focus also on the Chinese takeover by stealth. Only a fool would believe the nonsense proposed by politicians on the electoral trail, that Muslims pose a national threat in any way to this country, greater than that!

Instead of standing back from the light of truth, that the Saudis are funding a radical brand of Islam throughout south East Asia and Australia, let's see them fess-up and actually admit the fact. The problem with Islam is actually Malcom Turnbull and Bill Shorten, they are not the solution.

So the problems of this country run much deeper than the poor and desperate, finding it necessary to cheat the system, just as the leaders of it demonstrate their ability to do, with much much more reward.

diver dan Quote "Focus also on the Chinese takeover by stealth. Only a fool would believe the nonsense proposed by politicians on the electoral trail, that Muslims pose a national threat in any way to this country, greater than that!"

Tell that to the people that have moved out of suburbs because of the influx of Muslims.

Ask the residents of thousands of NO-GO zones in countries like France, Germany and Sweden if Muslims don't pose a national threat.

Can you name one area that Chinese congregate and live in that is a NO-GO zone?

To me the problem is the growing social inequality due to the continuing transfer of wealth from the poor to the already wealthy and the deliberate dismantling of job security.

It's the inevitable economic and philosophical result of neo-conservatism.

It's also one thing to blame the unions but another to moan about the resulting lack of wage growth that's resulting from their decline.

Likewise, you can complain about the rising cost of housing but fail to see it's to the economic benefit of governments who need that revenue to buy your votes. They are the ones helping keep prices high.

They also rely on a constant unemployment rate of around 5% to keep wage growth under control but continue to blame the victims.

While society gets led by the nose by various influential self-interest groups into dividing itself into warring factions it fails to see those same groups filling their pockets.

History has shown that scapegoating is a tool that's always handy for such things.

Also, the so-called "no-go zones" in France, Germany and Sweden are a myth used to perpetuate racial tensions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-go_area
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/sharia-law-muslim-no-go-zones/
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/sweden-crime-no-go-zone-police/

rache - Quote "Also, the so-called "no-go zones" in France, Germany and Sweden are a myth used to perpetuate racial tensions.

From Wikipedia A "no-go area" (or "no-go zone")
"also to areas that have a reputation for violence and crime which makes people frightened to go there."

France: Macron Buries Plan to Rehabilitate 'No-Go Zones'

The township of Seine-Saint-Denis is Aubervilliers. Sometimes referred to as one of the "lost territories of the French Republic," it's population is more than 70% Muslim. Three quarters of young people under 18 in the township are foreign or French of foreign origin, mainly from the Maghreb or sub-Saharan Africa. French police are said to rarely venture into some of the most dangerous parts of the township.

A day before Macron's speech, French television channels broadcast images of masked gunmen opening fire in broad daylight in the southern port city of Marseille. The assailants, dressed in black and carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles, kidnapped one individual, placed him in a car and drove away while police helplessly stood by. The gangsters, who are thought to be involved in a turf war for control of the drug trade in the city, "fear neither the police nor justice," according to an officer, who said that the police "had no chance" because they were outgunned and outmaneuvered.

By any chance is your computer web browser stuck on MSM news outlets only?

There are so many articles about no go areas in countries a quick internet search will bring up literally thousands.

rache as for your snopes.com lets have a look at them.

The problem is in the very limited wording of the claims.
Claim 1 "A number of localities in the United States, France, and Britain are considered Muslim "no-go zones" (operating under Sharia Law) where local laws are not applicable. "
A Government would have to be stupid to admit they have surrendered legal control of an area that is still technically under there control.
But in 2018 it is fact your claim was from 30 March 2015

Claim 2 "There are "no-go zones" in Sweden where the police can't enter. "
Of course there are no such areas BUT there are areas that police can only safely go in large numbers.

Like it or not, many of our problems with regards to wage growth are the fault of the consumer.
Consumers buy online, knowing they are forcing profits of bricks and mortar retailers down and, given wages come from gross profits, it stands to reason that the dollars are just not there to fund any increase in wages. Note,overall wages, not wage rates. In fact, even the likes of penalty rates for say Sundays have been a major contributor of both casualization and reduced hours for many workers effected by these rate increases.
Let's face it, if we call a plumber on a Sunday, he charges an increased rate, and his staff get pay more. No effect to him as the consumer pays the increase in wages. In your local coffee shop, the owner pays the extra wages, then wears the costs in most cases as the consumer, while willing to pay double time for the Sunday plumber, refuses to do the same at the coffee shop.
As an example, if the consumer would willingly pay 30% more for their foods on a Sunday, all would be fixed, but they won't, and that's because other owners, the likes of multinationals, would simply wear the extra costs. Just imagine how busy a Sunday plumber would be if they charged normal rates.

The problem is we have demanded a seven day society, but are unwilling to pay for it in most circumstances. We want our cake, but we also want to eat it.

As for welfare, this brings me back to the baby bonus theory, of why it was what it was. To breed a society that can be controlled. Makes sense when you really think about it.

The fact is in the past decade we have accumulated a huge debt, without much to show for it, lost our motor manufacturing and we appear hell bent on replacing coal with renewables, at twice the price or more, risking thousands of jobs and few seem to care.

The flip side is that i'm of the opinion we are on the brink of a major recession the likes of what we have never seen before, unless you are 80 plus.

I don't know about a recession, but I do know that we are headed towards a very dark place that is being openly engineered by by the Left while the majority have their heads in the sand, just like the wackos of our political class. Of course, many of those wackos are part of the Left, and we are paying them to do us over.

Interesting subject
, and good day, not sure I was a union official last time we spoke, no longer in the work force but still interested and active in such fields, we will never share every opinion but yes I think we should be deeply concerned,small business and others such as farmers are victims of our debt and focus on wealth, any case a middle path is the one to follow?

rache, I can take you to suburbs in Sydney where you would quickly become scared to go alone, or just a couple of ladies would be mad to go. What do you call a no go zone?

On casualization, we can blame union bosses, but not the rank & file. It is those bosses who pushed for & got the unfair dismissal laws. We can also blame the tribunals, because of the way they have interpreted & apply those laws.

We are all a product of our experience & history. When you know personally a couple of people who were good genuine owners or managers, who have been ripped off by this law, you become very careful to protect your company or yourself.

I know it makes it very hard for casuals in many ways, material like home loans & emotionally with security, but when you find you have to increasingly get rid of people you thought would be good employees during a 3 month trial, it makes you extra careful.

I have always believed in growing your own where possible. A couple of my best skippers started as deckhands, gained their qualifications & became skippers. My best ever sales manager started as a junior storeman, but it is much harder to work that way today, when a single mistake in judgement of an applicant can cost far too much.

It is a pity it has come to this, but I can't see a way out of it now. I think we are stuck with it.

Found your latest contribution interesting Hasbeen, as a rural union official,now finished work, your view of casualization is a little wedged,yes in construction at least, high wage rises, demanded by unions, pushed casuals in to once full time jobs, unfair dismissals? well only some unions used that, over used it in fact, round the rural sites the boss, often, asked, yes asked, union advice on this issue, my continuing mateship with members and most bosses, shows it is not a war or blood bath out there and yes often the best worker/boss came via the path you mentioned

Hasbeen,

You were never a "rural union official" were you?

Never been a union anything ttbn.

I did have an engineer on one of the boats who was a member of the seaman's union, but that never effected anything.

Hasbeen,

Didn't think so but I had to make sure after Belly said that you were. He said:

“Found your latest contribution interesting Hasbeen, as a rural union official, now finished work, your view ...”.

I'm glad to see that it was just poor English expression. You would have as much interest in unions as I do.

Rache - Gang of Muslim migrant kids attack park goers in Lewiston, Maine

Gang of Somali Kids Attack Maine Residents at a Lewiston Park

It was an otherwise pleasant evening in Maine when two dozen Somali youth swarmed and attacked two local residents in Kennedy Park last Thursday evening.

The Somali mob attacked around 7:45 pm, just as the sun was setting on this historic city park in the heart of Maine’s second largest city.

A local mother recorded as a mob of teens and children, boys and girls as young as nine years old, brandishing wooden bats and other objects, along with fists, feet and sheer numbers to attack the two non-Somali defenders. At one point you can even here one of the hoodlums repeatedly daring the woman to, “stop me, b**ch.”

Lewiston Police tell Maine First Media one of the victims was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. However, no charges were filed.

Lewiston Mayor, Shane Bouchard says these types of incidents are common at Kennedy Park, but points to Lewiston’s low crime rate.

http://12160.info/video/watch-video-gang-of-muslim-migrant-kids-attack-park-goers-in-lewi

Sounds like Victoria.

We should be worried, but not for the reasons everyone here thinks. We have a lot of problems that are easily solved, but most of the solutions are counterintuitive to the people on this board, who regard them as the problem!

For instance the number of people on disability pensions is high, but the government are implementing the NDIS which is designed to enable disabled people to work, and people here oppose it because it's too expensive.

Then there are people who are so attracted to the "live within our means" meme that they support policies which shrink the economy and put thousands out of work! What will it take for people to understand that the limits of what we can sustainably do in this country are not financial?

As for this alleged "no go areas" problem, it has little to do with religion or race; it's just the latest in a long seres of problems with gang crime that goes back at least as far as the early 1990s, possibly much longer. AIUI the best solution is for the police to have a surprise 5am chat with the gang members and their parents.

Love it! the uniformed snipping about my use of the English those who know me know I passed with honors in burning the rubbish in the school incinerator and collecting the milk bottles and stacking them for removal, but if it floats your boat and makes me grin go for it, rural union official, that was me, and believe me from road construction to farm hand, it was not open warfare.PS leaving school at 13, eldest country sons did that, unable to even read, I still am educating my self, my last teacher in that 23 kid school would not know me

“uniformed snipping”. Should that uninformed sniping? He seems to have studied “road construction” (all very useful) but missed out on 'sentence construction'. He gets 10/10 for attitude, however, and the same for not being offended as so many people like to be these days. Good on him.

Let us start off on the right foot, I will ignore any thing you post will you do that for me? please? not in to knit pickers, now opened a can of worms in my post about construction and casual workforce, so here it is, truth,on negotiating a new agreement every union involved, along with their work place reps, sits down with management, it can be over days or weeks,one union, ALWAYS wants the five percent wage rise for every one of the three years that agreement will run, the bosses side WARNS full time jobs will go, worksite delegates demand the 5 percent for all, some/my union voice,s calls for full time jobs to be part of a reduced pay rise,WARNING all involved, the end of the mining boom has ended the shortage of labour, hence casual jobs out number full time greed gave birth to job loss.

Congratulations Belly, and i must say that was a very good statement.
Butch with his 600 million debt may be somewhat light on. Are we allowed to know how much is off budget debt. Debt is debt.
Is there an election in the air!
If it was not for unions Australia would not have progressed past the the shearers strike.
We do need wage rise across the board and now, stuff the tin pot wingers lets lift the game, when you look around there are lots of business that is whipping dead horses. let them die and support the fair dinkum wage earning society to flourish. Or else the moaners are going to have us all in stih street.
Resurrect the union movement on mass., and get this country moving with prosperity.

It's about time the b/s about 10 years ago we had zero debt, that has caused two thirds of the problems we face now. We had a post office,banks, railways, a whole range of things that were money earners and good for all, until some drongo sold up everything they could find in public ownership, and where did that get that idiot nowhere but the back gate.
That drongo left more in forward estimates spending than the total of everything he sold.
The trouble with the Coalition mob is they think everything is better in private hands, better for who? That is the bit that is not explained.
Australia having a public lynching of that jerk Abbott. What do they teach these blokes at these pay for certificate schools.
Turnbull could be a fair and just man in another political party.
They have just woken up that we have a couple of weeks of petrol reserves, they must be going bad the price today is 1.56 / ltr. Private hands are roaming all over the place and our prime minister talks it up for them.

Belly,

No promises mind, but you are unlikely to post anything of interest to me; besides, I find 150 word sentences with just a few commas tossed in randomly, tiring to read. But, given that you are a Lefty, you are certain to say some outrageous things, and I might not be able to resist. I generally try to keep it civil.

Hasbeen,

Democracy might or might not be self-destructive, but there is a growing number of people who don't care about it.

1.4 million people eligible to vote did not vote in the 2016 federal election; that's more than the population of Adelaide (1.3 million). This is the highest number of no-shows since the introduction of compulsory voting in 1925, after 41% of voters failed to do so.

the country now has enough Government workers on the payroll to determine Government. The mantra more money for education, more money for health, more money for public service will has led to this debt. Enough people now breastfeeding on the Government payroll to ensure we remain racking up debt. One billion plus per year for the abc to sprout its marxist vomit. Unfortunately Liberals keep selling out to self interested senate.

Wonder how the Turnbull government will tax online purchases from Amazon? Well, Australians will be blocked from the American Amazon site and redirected to amazon.com.au, which has only a fraction of the goods available on the American site. Amazon will cease shipping to Australia.

My total confidence we are about to see Labor back in government is tempered by my view a crash will come not long after. the comment about enough government workers to elect a government is in my view not near true, we have less working in that field than we have for a long time, and truth is while working for state government, I found more national voters than Labor worked with me we need a more balanced government not one helping the rich get richer

Casualization, so long as an employee retains the right to come and go from job to job, and the employer does not have the same rights, casualization will continue, as it is merely a reaction to an action.

As for letting businesses fold, that's a huge statement considering small business is the largest employer we have.

The strongest sector of our economy, the consumer, is our only saviour, and sadly they are predominately re-active, not pro-active, and there in lies the problem.

Rechtub never the less my description of how it came about in civil construction, roads and such, is true,hard for you to believe but my remaining friendship with state and national managers shows it was no war zone,some times both sides get it wrong it will remain my view wages rises in ENTER PRIZE AGREEMENTS should be balanced so limits to casual numbers can be part paid for by bartering away some of the rise hard to get done but unionism was built on fairness and should it not help casuals get full time work?