Individual,

surely there are some good writers amongst academics?

you are a bit harsh, me think.

I have met a few out of the many I have met.

you are a bit harsh, me think

Chris Lewis,
They're harsher !
Or, don't you ever watch Q&A or Insight or The Drum etc ?
At least I mouth off from personal experience !
I actually think that there should bet a clear distinction/description made to separate the scholars from the Academics because the scholars undeservedly & unfairly get lumped into the same category as Academics.

Indy,
You seem to want a society run by the uneducated. Why is that?

want a society run by the uneducated.
Paul1405,
Your reply is indicative of why Academia needs to be kept out of decision making !
I never said I was against the educated, on the contrary, I want educated people in decision making not mere Academics.
Academics are merely indoctrinated, not educated. Educated people become useful professionals unlike Academics who never display any common sense & only sabotage good will & progress ! Being insipid is not progressive !
When's the last time you've seen an Academic on TV making sense ?
How many Academics do you know that have done something that has proven to improve our social & economic situation ?
How many such Academics do you know that are pulling their weight in private enterprise ?
From my computer's Dictionary;
academic; not of practical relevance; of only theoretical interest: the debate has been largely academic.

Indy,
Why do you denigrate those with uni degrees. Bang on about the 95% of claimed no goods in the PS. What is your own level of education?

you denigrate those with uni degrees
Paul1405,
calling them out is not denigrating ! My education is as poor as it can get yet throughout 52 years of working it was proven to me time & time again that being educted didn't make people useful. On the contrary, most eductated people are only employable in Govt Depts. where no system of performance/accountability checks is in place.
Or, can you just sit there & tell us that with all these educated people in Govt/Public Service this is as good as it can be ?