Unqualified " Sparkies " !

 There is a shortage of qualified electricians in New South Wales and labour hire companies are using unqualified people because of the amount of work offering.  It seems inevitable that this will bring about a death because forty percent of house fires are traced back to an electrical fault.

There are 69,365 registered electricians licensed to work in this state and to some extent the shortage can be blamed on the coronavirus.  The pandemic has prevented electricians being imported from overseas to fill the vacancies and urgency is causing contractors to take short cuts.

Skill and training is working to fill the gap and since 2018, 45,000 apprentices have undertaken fee free training, but the danger is the work being undertaken now by unqualified tradesmen which is not being detected.

Fair Trading can impose on the spot fines of up to $22,000 on unqualified individuals working in the industry and $ 110,000 for any company using unqualified labour.  Unfortunately, there is little regulation of electrical work to enforce these penalties.

Much of the wiring in the average home is hidden away behind the wall panels and in a new building the occupier has every reason to believe that the work is up to standard.  The danger is not restricted to a house fire from faulty wiring, it can cause electrocution if a metal object within the house becomes " live ".

It is believed that the scope of this unregistered work is widespread.   Not only is it prevalent in new housing but is featuring heavily in the home renovation sector..  When a handyman renovates a room or adds to the home and looks for an electrician these unqualified tradespeople are not hard to find.

That old saying that " A little knowledge is a dangerous thing "  is true.   They have probably worked for an electrician as a labourer and picked up a few clues, but the safety aspect of wiring is way beyond their skill level.

Often it is the householder who accepts an unqualified electrician or plumber on the basis of the job cost.  It looks like simple work and the quoted price is very acceptable so what is the harm  ?  If the house is later sold and that fault causes loss or damage the work done by a previous owner can become a legal issue.

Thankfully, those 45,000 apprentices will start filling those gaps in the immediate future and that may put the unqualified out of business, but it still depends on the end customer to insist on seeing proof of registration.

If the person giving a quote doesn't seem to have it handy, that is a very good reason to walk away !

A Turn To The Right !

The outcome of this American Presidential election awaits the decision of the voters but the composition of the highest court was decided when Amy Coney Barratt was confirmed as its newest justice by a 52-48 vote in the US Senate.

That was a " block " vote by the Republican party, who may not control the Senate when the election votes are counted, but Barratt is 48 years old and Justices serve a life term so she could hold her position for decades.

Donald Trump was certainly a controversial president, but he appointed more Supreme court justices in his single term than Barrack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton appointed together in their two term presidencies.

There is no doubt that Barratt meets all the technical criteria to sit on the Supreme court, but what interests most Americans is her attitude to two important issues - abortion and gun rights !   The three Justices appointed by Trump all have very conservative leanings and together carry the Supreme court in a 6-3 conservative balance.

Barratt is a dedicated Catholic and the Catholic church is implacably opposed to abortion in any circumstances.  She has expressed criticism of " Roe v Wade ", the case that legalised abortion  decades earlier and which is expected to front the court for review when it passes through the lower courts.

The other issue is gun control.  The right to bear arms is guaranteed in the American Constitution and guns were single shot muskets when that document was framed.  Today citizens have access to military grade machine guns and there have been constant massacres of innocent people.  There will never be a law change to lower the number of guns on the streets while the conservatives hold a majority in the Supreme court.

Trump is a Republican party president and the Republicans have the numbers in the Senate at present.  They voted as a " block " and refused to hold the confirmation of Barratt over until after the election and it is possible that if their opponents win this election they may add more justices to the Supreme court to rebalance a more liberal tilt.

What we are seeing here is a vast change in the political stance in the most heavily armed country on earth.  Its Supreme court is the final arbiter of law and in the past the selection of new justices was achieved by nominees gaining a majority vote from the combined meeting of Senators from all political parties.  That has now changed to whichever political party has the numbers in the Senate.

If nothing else, this Trump presidency has cemented party politics into the pivotal role of appointing the balance of the Supreme court and the wise decisions which guided that country in the past will be replaced with political diktat.

The Trump era will continue as an echo chamber for years to come !

Taming " Party Animals " !

A " holiday " means different things to different people.  To some it is to experience the delights of a region they have not visited before and so they try the local cuisine and visit places of interest.  The vast majority are well behaved and this tourist industry employs thousands of people and is an important component of the Australian economy.

Unfortunately, there is a segment which critics label " party animals " who do damage to the rented property they occupy with wild parties and an excess of alcohol.  The noise factor is deafening and neighbours are deprived of sleep by load music and general mayhem.

This holiday scene has spread from hotels and holiday resorts to private homes which are now often becoming " short term rentals " listed with companies like" Airbunb ".   As a result, neighbours in quiet suburbs can encounter these wild parties attracting police attention.

The government is seeking to bring these short term rentals under control by implementing a management scheme which would place a five year ban from lease arrangements.  This ban would apply to both the property owners and the leasing company which could not offer it on their listings.

This is a very logical move.  The owners of property in a tourist hot spot get a better return from short term rentals in the holiday season than from conventional long term tenants.  It is in their interests that the property remains undamaged and it is reasoned that the ban threat will make rental companies more selective in the customers to whom they hand that house key.

The government plans a " two strike policy ".  Problematic renters would be denied property access where a disruption occurred during their tenancy and the individual property would be included in the five year ban when police reports showed regular and repeated police visits to that address.

This legislation is being urged to pass through parliament and become law before this coming Christmas but to become effective it would be necessary for all short term rental property to be combined on a register, and that is not scheduled to come into effect before next June.

In effect, rushing through draconian legislation without the proper control measures in place is going to be ineffective and will do nothing to protect neighbours from the damage and noise disruption inflicted when these party animals run out of control.

It is highly likely the government is looking in the wrong direction with this ban.   The ban only comes into effect after the damage has been done and the imposition of a very substantial bond would be more effective in making renters think twice of the monetary loss they will suffer for bad behaviour.

Obviously, there are some people so out of control that they would never be acceptable to be in control of a valuable property.  It is better to apply lateral thinking to screen such people out of selection from gaining rental access than trying to repair the damage they cause !

An Unusual " Incident " !

 Doha in the Persian Gulf has become the " hub " world airlines use as they criss-cross the world on passenger journeys.  This week Qantas flight QR908, bringing returning Australians home from London, where they had been stranded by the coronavirus lockdown, made a four hour Doha stop-over.

They had just settled back on their jetliner for the last leg of the journey to Sydney when a surprise announcement required women passengers to return to the tarmac. The request was specific to women, and no explanation was offered.

Women from both the Qantas flight and other airlines were greeted by a line of waiting ambulances.  Each ambulance was staffed by female medical personnel and each passenger was required to lower their underwear for a genital inspection.

Most strongly objected to this intrusion but eventually complied and it was later learned that a newborn baby had been found abandoned in one of the rest rooms reserved for airline passengers.  The baby was alive, but obviously both it and its mother would be in need of medical attention, hence this strange request.

This genital  inspection delivered no outcome and it is surmised that a local women with an unwanted pregnancy must have slipped into the passenger facilities.  The fact that this action was ordered without explanation made it a frightening incident that thirteen Australian women passengers had imposed without their consent.

Perhaps a timely reminder that when we leave Australia and travel through other countries, we are required to obey the laws in force under those jurisdictions.  In particular, the sexual act is strongly regulated in some parts of the world and transgressions outside of marriage can be punished by stoning to death of the guilty woman.

These laws differ widely depending on which religion is involved and how strictly it is enforced.   Our Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, known here as " Dfat " are well versed  in the known trouble areas. Australians travelling are well advised to lodge an itinerary of their intended travels with Dfat and be advised of problem areas they may encounter.

Apart from sex, the two other points of disagreement usually concern modesty and alcohol..   The shorts and bra tops popular in Australia would not meet the custom requirements in place in other parts of the world.  Women with uncovered hair give offence in some countries and a little discretion pays dividends in avoiding conflict.

Alcohol in all its forms is totally banned in some parts of the world.  Even having alcohol hidden away in luggage can be considered a serious offence if it is discovered in a  customs search, but that medical inspection in Doha was certainly something  that broke new ground for Dfat !

Curbing Gambling Opportunities' !

 Federal independent MP   Andrew Wilkie has long sniped from his Hobart base at the damage poker machines do to to the living standards of family's addicted to their enticing music and offer of a cascade of money.

In particular, his ire has been directed at linked poker machines which enable the jackpot offer to be stupendous, but entice the player by congratulary music and a light show when the " win " payout is even less than the amount wagered on that roll of the symbols

 Wilkie has turned his attention to money bet with  "bookmakers" now that many international " bookies "  are established in Australia and are heavily  advertising their services on national television. He wants to extend the laws that cover " money laundering " to make bookmakers responsible for paying compensation when stolen money is used to fund bets.

He justifies this by making comparison with the pawnbroker industry which is highly regulated. A pawnbroker advances money by way of a " loan " calculated against the value of property surrendered by the applicant.   The  loan is much less than the value of the goods held and must be repaid within a nominated time frame.

Should that not happen, the pawnbroker becomes the legal owner of the surrendered goods and may sell them at a profit.  Strict laws ensure that each loan is recorded with the name and address of the borrower and the police check regularly to discover stolen goods that have been pawned.

Stolen goods held by a pawnbroker are confiscated and compensation paid to the original owner if they have been sold and not recovered.  It is the pawnbroker that suffers this loss if he loans on stolen goods. In the past, this has been the method used by thieves to turn stolen goods into cash money.

The bookmaking industry does not advance loans and bets are made with cash money and any resulting legislation will need to clear that hurdle. Crime research shows that money stolen from  employers is often used to pay gambling debts but it is impossible for a bookmaker to be sure that the money offered has been legally obtained.

It is unlikely that we will see a law change to make bookmakers responsible for bets made with stolen money.  Wilkie's proposal has a degree of support from the crossbench but both of the major parties are seeing the difficulties of  turning this proposal into law.

A bookmaker would be entering shaky legal ground to refuse a bet on suspicion the offered money might be stolen. That might open a claim for " character assassination " if it is later proved the better's remote uncle had died and he had inherited a fortune.

The desire to place a wager is as old as humankind itself.   It is an integral part of the human psyche and it caused trouble back in the time when Roman legions marched the known world.  Andrew Wilkie is probably pursuing an impossible dream.

Such is the perversity of human nature that we aggressively reject proposals that save us from our own folly !

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A " Great Train Journey " !

 Bali is out of the question for a holiday because of closed borders to combat the pandemic but the New South Wales rail system has opened up a four night rail journey that presents a new experience in the delights of touring the picturesque country towns of this state.

Just imagine a journey on a train with sleeper and dining carriages similar to the legendary " Ghan " that runs from Adelaide to Darwin.  This new service has being called " Aurora Australis " and the journey starts and ends at Sydney's Central station.

This is not a high speed dash from one place to another. The railways describe it as a " slow rail cruise " in which the train stops at night  and there is plenty of opportunity to visit the towns along the way.  You will gain the experience of sleeping at night in your private quarters and enjoy fine dining which will feature the food for which country NSW is famous.

The Aurora Australis leaves Central and travels south to Wollongong and then up through the southern highlands to Moss Vale where it will make its first overnight stop.  The next morning you journey on to Goulburn, Junee, Coolamon and stop again for the night in the exciting MIA city of Griffith.

The next leg of the journey takes in Temora overnight and then its on to Stockinbingal and an overnight stay in beautiful Parkes.   The final days journey takes in Mount Victoria, Katoomba, the Blue Mountains and  a return to Central in Sydney.

Stops in all those towns and cities are packed with entertainment. Guided tours take the travellers to places of history and culture and ten off train meals are included.  A shuttle bus takes passengers to entertainment where it is beyond walking distance from the train.

The rolling stock that now serves as Aurora Australis was once the sleeper express that connected Sydney and Melbourne.  It has been faithfully refurbished to deliver the delights of rail travel on similar journeys to the Ghan and the Southern Aurora which compare with the great train journeys of Europe and America.

These Riverina regional rail tours start next year and each five day, four night journey will commence on March 10, March 24 and October 6, 2021.  Passenger numbers will be limited, so it would be a good idea to make an advance booking to secure your place.  The price per person is very reasonable considering the distance covered and the service standards. It is $3,995 and a booking can be made at just $250 per person. 

One of the things this coronavirus taught us is the hazard of being caught overseas when borders close and air travel shuts down.  Thousands of Australians have been stranded in Britain, Europe and America through no fault of their own and nearly six months later many are desperate to get home.

Wise minds thought it appropriate to offer an exciting rail journey not only within the country, but within the state to reduce those hazards to zero.  Many will be pleasantly surprised at the delights New South Wales contains within its own borders.

Differing Industry Standards !

 What exactly is " Australia Post " ?   To most people it is those noisy little motorcycles that ride up and down their street each working day delivering the mail into their letterbox  They also run a network of suburban post offices and clear the kerbside boxes we use when we want to send a letter somewhere.

In this digital world, they also run a division that delivers parcels and since we have embraced internet shopping, that is rapidly becoming the fastest growing segment of their services.  All aspects of " Australia Post " are owned by the Federal government.

The chief executive of Australia Post is in trouble because she authorised the purchase of four French Cartier watches worth $3,000 each as incentive rewards for the four senior executives who successfully negotiated  the inclusion of banking services into the post office network.

This chief executive is a woman and she has eared the ire of the prime minister for what he terms a " scandal involving taxpayers money ".  It is demanded that she stand aside during the investigation that will follow, and this is despite that incentive by way of watches being approved by the Australia Post board.

The prime minister was so intemperate to suggest that if she was not prepared to stand aside, then " she could go ".   The threat of dismissal hung heavily in the air.  It also seems evident that the Australia Post board may not escape censure for embracing commercial practice in a competitive industry.

The fact that a service is government owned does not shield it from the need to recruit talented staff and pay them at a commensurate level with their competitors.  The money market is notorious for rewarding successful executives with " bonuses " that run into millions of dollars.   In comparison, a three thousand dollar watch pales in significance.

The chief executive of Australia Post clearly felt that her senior management team had performed well in bringing banking services under the network umbrella.  These services will simply add to Australia Post's bottom line and that reward is important to the governments financial standing.  The provision of a watch regarded well by its famous name was a relatively inexpensive way of signalling job approval.

When a government agency competes with the commercial sector its salary range is usually determined by parliament.  The treatment Australia Posts chief executive has received will send shock waves through the entire public sector.

The message is abundantly clear.  Forget trying to recruit bright and talented people who will expand the services offered because they will work at a pay disadvantage with private industry.  Any form of incentive for meritorious service will attract the attention of parliament and the usual political point scoring.

Safety in the public service requires keeping one's head below the parapet at all times and never straying from accepted public service standards.  Boring inefficiency is the price we pay for maintaining political expediency !

Winning a " Motza " !

Just a   a few days more than a week to the running of this years Melbourne Cup and an incredible amount of money will be gambled on the " race that stops the nation " !  For a few minutes in the first Tuesday in November the streets are virtually deserted as people crowd into pubs and clubs to watch the race.

Most gamblers have the hope that one day they will bet on a horse the bookies have at a hundred to one - and it will romp home for them.  That is not likely to happen in the Melbourne Cup, but two Australian men have just become billionaires by way of their wise investment on that other gambling forum, the stock exchange.

The combined wealth of the company founder and chief executive of a firm called " Afterpay "  reached four billion dollars recently.  It was listed on the Australian stock exchange in 2016 at just one dollar per share and found favour with investors.  It climbed steadily up the leaders board until a recent announcement that it had struck a deal with Westpac to offer banking services to its 3.2 million customers sent the share price to a high of $ 101.94 a share.

Afterpay is in the business of financing " Buy now - Pay later " deals and obviously investors think it has a bright future in the aftermath of this coronavirus lockdown.  When its company prospectus was launched the public was invited to buy at the basic price of just one dollar a share.

Now those investors have to make new decisions. If they sell their shares they will make a handsome profit of more than a hundred dollars on each share, or they can hold their shares in the expectation of rich dividends from the profits the company makes, but shares are subject to market conditions and can fall as well as rise.

For the lucky people who bought Afterpay shares at one dollar a share at the launch this is like backing a winning horse at odds of a hundred to one.  To many people, the stock market is a complete mystery and it may be helpful to list the basic rules that apply for those thinking of trying their luck.

The minimum outlay to buy shares is five hundred dollars worth.  You need to arrange the purchase through a broker, who makes a charge for that service.  All the banks and most accounting firms are brokers and one of the big banks offers the best rate of just $19 per transaction.  Others are more greedy and charge over a hundred dollars for the same service.

If it is a new firm listing on the stock exchange the offering may be one dollar shares, but sold at a premium. Shares of existing companies change hands at whatever their price on the share boards and this is constantly changing, up and down on a minute by minute basis.   Once your purchase has been confirmed, you usually have three days to pay the amount owing.

The wise investor is constantly watching the movement of share prices and following company reports in financial newspapers and you should remember that hundred to one horses coming home are usually fairly rare events.  It is usual to make losses as well gains in share trading.

A Tactical Battle !

 With just days to go before am American presidential election, Donald Trump has publicly derided Anthony Fauci, his nations top infectious disease expert.  Fauci has served with both Republican and Democrat administrations since the Reagan years and has never been associated with either political party.

A September poll by the Kaiser Foundation showed that sixty-eight percent of the  American public trust Fauci to provide reliable information on the coronavirus, and yet Trump referred to him as a " disaster ", " along with all the other idiots that are getting it wrong."

Trump is the president that sacked both his Chief of staff and Secretary of State, along with numerous other " advisers " when they failed to support his maverick views.  He is on very dangerous ground  because this attack on Fauci will remind the voters of his own performance at the start of this pandemic.

Trump told the country to " ignore " the virus and it " would go away ".  He refused to wear a mask or implement a  lockdown and now the virus is responsible for over two hundred thousand deaths in his country.

Opinion polls show his competitor, Joe Biden edging ahead, provoking Trump to claim the election is being rigged and threatening to refuse to leave office if he loses.  This is a serious attack on the American Constitution that could bring his redneck followers into the streets armed with guns.

Today will bring another debate between Trump and Biden and new rules will be in place to prevent the chaos of that first debate,.   Trump tried to shout down both his opponent and the moderator and completely refused to abide by the rules of civilized conduct.

This time the moderator will have the ability to mute the microphone of either contender if they continue to break public decorum.  No doubt there will be countless warnings before that ultimate threat is exercised but it does open the door for Trump to simply walk out and claim he was " victimized ", and that would go down well with his one eyed supporters.

How this American presidential elections is resolved may be decisive in the battle to hold the world temperature from over heating.  Trump took America out of the Paris Accord and he is basing his country's economy on oil at a time when the rest of the world is moving to reign in global warming.

China has taken a bold step in announcing a date when its economy will be carbon neutral and for many years it was China which claimed the right to pollute because it was still a " developing " country.  With that bogey eliminated, there is a real chance of the progress that has been elusive as we encounter hotter summers and increasing droughts.

Unfortunately, who gets to sit in the oval office will have a lot to do with what sort of world we live in a few decades from now.  Perhaps we may need to follow that debate today with more than passing interest !

A Question Of " Price " ?

As anyone who has dabbled in Real Estate will know, putting a price on a parcel of land depends on many factors.   Where is it  ?   Who wants it  ?  And what urgency is involved  ?

For well over twenty years the government has vacillated over selecting a site for Sydney's second airport. before finally settling on Badgery's Creek.  This is a project which will cost billions, including the road and rail connection and the surrounding infrastructure is expected to generate a vast industrial complex with many well paid jobs.

This airport project is now well advanced and in 2018 the government bought a 12.26 hectare parcel of land which was known as the " Leppington Triangle" because of its configuration.  We now learn that this land will form part of the second runway and is therefore critically important to the final outcome.

The government paid  the owners 29.8 million for the purchase, plus $3 million GST, but now the Auditor -General has seen fit to value it at just $3 million, and that has sparked a furore with claims of skullduggery by the civil servants involved in the purchase.  No less than four separate investigations into the purchase are under way and these include police involvement.

The land in question was owned by a millionaire family known to support the government with political donations. It was used as a dairy farm and was therefore undeveloped and mainly served as pasture for cows, and had the site not been selected for Sydney's western airport it would have eventually become a housing estate as Sydney spreads outward.

Many will question both the price the government paid and this valuation bestowed by the Auditor General. The government has the legal right to compulsory resume land needed for important infrastructure with the compensation settled by conciliation.   The question seems to be ?   Was the government buying a patch of cow paddock  ?    Or was it buying a piece of land forming part of an international airport  ?

The answer to that question has everything to do with the price paid !  Had that 12.26 hectares of land been in far western New South Wales, near the South Australian border it would be classed as " marginal grazing land " and near the Auditor General's valuation.

But it was the owner's good fortune that his long held dairy farm had by government fiat become an integral part of a new airport and its value had risen accordingly.  Should the government at some time in the future consider selling that airport to commercial interests they will most certainly want more than cow paddock prices for the land it is standing on.

As anybody who has has had recent experience of the Real Estate market would know, putting a price on property is as flexible as that old rhetorical question of "  How long is a piece of string "?

Death With Dignity !

Being able to die a painless death with dignity is fast becoming established law in Australasia.  New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has just won a new four year term in office with a record majority and that election served as a referendum on doctor assisted death for those suffering a painful terminal illness.

That law is already in place in our southern neighbour, Victoria and a referendum looks likely in the island state of Tasmania, and Queensland premier Anastacia Palaszczuk has promised to  hold a referendum on assisted death in her coming state election.

Sadly, New South Wales missed out on this merciful end of life legislation by just one vote in November 2019.  The state's upper house rejected the legislation by twenty votes to nineteen and that dissenting vote was cast by the leader of a religious party that has since gone into decline.

The urgency is amplified by the measures taken to to protect the elderly in this coronavirus pandemic.  Most aged care facilities are in lockdown, stopping visits by friends and loved ones. Most aged care is oriented in delivering a safe and hospitable lifestyle for those aged in their seventies, eighties and nineties and most lack the ability to deliver intensive care nursing.

It is usual to call the paramedics and send the seriously ill to hospital. Most aged people are adamant that they do not wish to die in a hospital bed, separated from family and loved ones and the familiar faces of carers in aged care. We all eventually die of some cause, and often that is a disease which is very painful in finally claiming our lives.

  Hospitals are busy places and many elderly have lost the ability to eat unassisted. The delivery of medication comes with a strict regimen and this is not always successful in abating intense pain.  It is the wish of most elderly people to achieve a painless death.

When a treating doctor confirms that a patient is suffering from a terminal disease and wishes assistance with dyeing a strict protocol ensures he of she is fully aware of the enormity of the decision they are taking. When the doctor is satisfied that death is the patient's wish, medication will be provided that will painlessly end the patients life.  That medication will be administered by the patient in full knowledge of what will happen.

This is a merciful and humane way of ending the uncertainty many diseases deliver at life's end.  Some cancers are notorious for delivering pain that can not be controlled by legal doses of pain suppressants and this presents an ethical dilemma for treating doctors.  Protocols are in place to ensure that patients make these decisions in full knowledge of the facts and doctor participation is by personal choice.

Death is an inevitability we all must face.  It should not occur in prolonged and excruciating pain.  It is time this humane legislation again faced a vote here in New South Wales.

Social Media - A New Weapon !

Mosman is a Sydney suburb that attracts many of the rich and famous.  Homes there bring a premium price and residents have been fighting tooth and nail to stop a Woolworths supermarket being built on their stretch of Military road.

Back in 2015 the supermarket chain bought several shops in this fashionable precinct and lodged a demolition order with Mosman Council.  Their plans to build a modern supermarket on the site brought an angry rejection from some local residents, which led to street demonstrations and pressure on the council to reject the plan.

While many of Sydney's new outer suburbs are desperate for either Woolworths or rival Coles to establish a supermarket to lower grocery prices, Mosman residents claim that it will ruin the " village atmosphere " of their suburb.  Some sneer that their suburb will become a duplicate of nearby Double Bay which is now filled with real estate agents, hair salons and banks.  There are the usual wails about traffic congestion and parking difficulties and the council ran for cover and insisted on an evaluation by an independent audit firm.

That is now complete and has been handed to council, and it dismisses concerns about potential contamination and finds in favour of Woolworths.  The pressure returns to the elected councillors to face the wrath of residents when they must make a final decision on an issue that they can not legally refuse. The Woolworths proposal ticks all the legal boxes and yet councillors fear retribution at the ballot box at the next election.

They will probably find that this noisy opposition is in fact remarkably shallow and will quickly dissipate when the building is completed.  It is usually led by a small group of dissenters who by nature of their leadership powers drag in others who would feel socially isolated if they refused.  They put their names to petitions against which they do not have strong feelings.

This often manifests itself against a new McDonald's or Hungry Jack's store being established in a new area.  The objection rails against " fast foods " and its health damage, but given a few short months after the opening the very people objecting have become enthusiastic users of the service provided.  Only the hard core of protesters remain aloof on principle.

When we reject " change " we usher in stagnation.  The Coles and Woolworths duopoly drove  thousands of little corner stores out of business and brought cheap groceries to the masses.  They are under constant pressure from competitors seeking to emulate their success and should a shopping centre succeed in keeping them out its residents usually quickly establish buying patterns elsewhere.

Social media innovations such as Facebook have opened a new avenue of discourse to stoke discontent for those with social aspirations.  The aim of this is to gain " followers " and hence someone with what seems a valid argument against a proposal can use the theme for advantage.

Unfortunately, it is the vigor of these hate campaigns that usually stops many fair minded people putting their hand up and running for office at council elections.

The Tax " Dodge " !

 Australia's longest serving Federal treasurer has levelled a criticism at the disparity between the personal and the company tax rates in this country.  As we start the long road to recovery from the ravages imposed by the coronavirus it is important that the tax rate is clear and concise and is imposed equally on both companies and individuals.

Peter Cosgrove drew public attention to the existing anomaly.  The top marginal tax rate for individuals is thirty-seven cents out of every dollar earned from $87,001 to $180,000, and  then forty-five cents for every dollar over that top bracket.

The top company tax rate is thirty percent, and a lower rate applies to businesses with a turnover of less than fifty million, in which the tax rate falls to 27.5 %.  That is a very big incentive for individuals to corporatise themselves to make a  tax saving.  Even worse, it is a very good reason to hold a company back to ensure it does not trade over that fifty million threshold and move into the higher tax bracket.

Peter Cosgrove is telling the government that their top tax bracket is too high.  This has spawned a lucrative trade in public accountants  who devise magical tricks in circumventing company law to gain tax advantages.  That often involves the registration of companies in overseas tax havens and the tax dodge of moving the payment of intellectual royalties from a high tax regime to a lower one.  In many cases these gambits skirt the legal definition of the tax law.

In recent times, the international tax laws have resulted in the creation of giant corporations which move the payments for intellectual property around the world to gain advantage from low tax regimes and pay little tax in high taxing countries.   Tax is not paid where the profits are made and these companies employ contingents of international lawyers to fight any change to tax laws that may change this situation.

All that is high finance and well above the head of the average man or woman who relies on having their pay envelope in their hand every payday.  The " pay as you earn " system, ensures that their tax has been deducted and they hope to get a small refund when they do their tax return each year, and even here cheating is rife in the exclusions claimed.

Around then world, governments have been trying to break the nexus between basing the tax on what we earn and devolving it on what we spend, and that evolved into the " Goods and Services tax ", known as the GST and several other similar tax collection methods.

The weakness is that the GST imposed at a similar rate for all imposes an extra burden on pensioners and the lowly paid and creates an immense book keeping task on all aspects of business to to ensure the tax is collected and paid to the government.

The complexity of the tax regime is such that we may never see a simple basic tax applied to both personal income and company profits with no applicable deductions.  That might meet the " fairness " test, but it is doubtful if it would fund the government outlay necessary to deliver the services it provides.

That old proverb covers the situation superbly.  The only certainty is death - and taxes  !

Unmet Medical Needs !

People living in rural Australia are probably not surprised to hear that a sixty-six year old woman bled to death in a regional hospital at Gulgong, near Mudgee.  She was suffering a gastrointestinal bleed and there was no doctor available to treat her.

That is a warning to tourists travelling the inland road system.  Just because road signs and maps indicate that there is a hospital in the town ahead, there is no guarantee that a doctor will be present.  In todays world it may offer video conferencing with a doctor located far away in the state capital.

Usually, there is insufficient work demand to keep a doctor permanently stationed at these small regional hospitals and they are serviced by the local general practitioner whom runs a private practice in the town.  He or she has had special training to work in hospitals and attends the hospital on a call out basis.

There is a dire shortage of doctors willing to work in country towns and many that do find the workload excessive. Not only do they care for the health of the townsfolk, this usually includes the vast surrounding farming district, and their responsibility for service in the regional hospital seriously depletes their lifestyle.  Often they suffer " burnout " and leave after a few short years.

It does put a burden on the family life most people expect to enjoy.  A weekend away leaves the town without medical cover, and alcohol needs to be avoided in case they are suddenly called to perform surgery at the hospital.

Many country towns are now lacking a resident general practitioner despite lucrative enticements to  attract someone to set up practice.  Sometimes this includes a house and surgery either free or at very subsidized cost, but even that fails to attract interest.

Country hospitals are becoming more reliant on the air ambulance services for medical retrieval and getting the patient to a fully equipped major hospital in the state capital.  Unfortunately, distance dictates the flying time involved in the round trip and sometimes immediate medical attention is critical.

Major city hospitals are served by a helicopter fleet of air ambulances and the very remote parts of Australia are served by the Flying Doctor service, but the vast majority of country hospitals rely on the services of locally based general practitioners for their medical needs.

This shortage is not helped by the split responsibility for oversight of medical services.  The hospital system is entirely under state control while the Federal government funds medical practice.  It is the Federal government that controls the number of new doctors emerging from medical schools and it has  been suggested that a compulsory term of service in a country district should be part of the registration regimen.  That is resisted by most medical groups.

A New South Wales Health spokesperson said the state was working with the Commonwealth to expand the generalist training programme and $2.8 billion was invested to increase hospital staff across the state.  Of this, forty-five percent was ear marked for regional and rural areas.

Unfortunately, whether you find a doctor waiting to treat you in a country hospital still seems to be in the lap of the Gods  !

Party Politics !

There is an apt saying that refers to the salaries we pay our politicians.  "  If the pay is pea-nuts, it gets us Monkeys ! "   Our politicians are very adequately renumerated but that does not preclude a lot of what we could term " Monkey business " being played out in politics.

The very nature of the decisions being made are supposed to be in confidence, but that is vital information that may be used to make money in the marketplace if it reaches the right ears in time for them to make strategic moves. A lot of people donate money to political election fundraisers in the expectation that some of that wisdom will trickle down to them.

That puts a lot of power into the hands of individual politicians, and many are not above making personal moves in the marketplace to accumulate their own fortune. The privileged knowledge of what is going to happen in the future ensures that politicians are well placed to make the right moves to enhance their bank account.

Sometimes this is so blatant that it brings censure, but often it is masked by introducing a person seeking gain to the very civil servants tasked with implementing the policies implemented by parliament. There is usually a degree of interpretation in the way these policies are put into practice and even minor nuances are important to the outcome.

All this is subjected to the dictates of " party politics ".  A long time ago the world split into political divisions between parties that pursued a " conservative " agenda and those with a " socialist " outlook.  Since then, that has fragmented to produce many smaller, lesser parties with more specific outlooks which often hold the balance of power.  The task of governing has devolved into juggling the numbers in the parliament to gain acceptance on an issue by issue basis.

That does not necessarily deliver good government and consequently we are seeing on a world wide basis the emergence of populist leaders who shun the safeguards of democracy and gain voter appeal by " strong man " measures to implement their will.  In many instances, they cement their hold on power by eliminating term limits and rigging elections to deliver in their favour.

This is the fate that has overtaken several former democracies and in most cases the new regime rules with the support of the police and the army and becomes impossible to unseat. That is now the situation in both Venezuela and the Philippines and even in the world's major democracy we are seeing President Trump threatening to refuse to leave office if he loses the coming election.

It seems reasonable to suggest we need a new level of integrity from our politicians.   The level of shenanigans by the people we elect to office is very disturbing and in many cases it is because party  politics cements endorsed candidates in their seats.  A person with a safe margin of support has little fear of being tipped out of office, irrespective of his or her conduct in parliament.

Nothing is likely to change until we start becoming more selective with our vote.  Instead of voting for the political party, we need to evaluate the integrity of the person we trust with our vote.  Put into practice, it would deliver a cleaner, more responsive parliament with less sleaze factor !

The Question of Defence Spending !

 Defence spending is another of those big ticket items that confuse many taxpayers, but doing defence on the cheap would bring disaster to Australia.  Our great land mass would be a tempting target to others in an over populated and hungry world.

Our defence planners contend that we need a fleet of twelve modern attack submarines to guard the sea approaches and they have closed off the nuclear option because of the cost factor and the fact that electric boats are harder to detect because they run silently compared to their nuclear counterparts.

We invited world tenders for the supply of these units and the successful tenderer was France.  The completed shells and engines will be constructed in France and shipped to Australia, where they will be fitted out and armed in South Australia.  This will create the industry skills we need to maintain this arm of our defence force locally without the need to send them overseas for repair.

Initially, the cost of these twelve submarines was estimated at $50 billion Australian dollars.  It has now blown out to $80 billion and it is claimed that the government hid this fact from the public from the start  of the project.  All defence work is constantly affected by technology improvements that make it impossible to estimate the final outcome.

What is important is that this money buys us cutting edge defence equipment.  The lives of the men and women who will deploy it if the country is threatened depend on it and our defence planners are confident that it has the capacity to deter an unfriendly nation from entering our home waters.

We have the good fortune to be free of land borders which are harder to protect.  Our nation is surrounded by sea and that makes defence by both our navy and air force vitally important.  We are not facing any immediate threat, but putting a long term defence in place is reliant on the time factor and years will pass before these submarines are operational.

At the present time, our biggest danger comes from a technician sitting at a keyboard in another country and using his or her skill to hack into our computer network.  The computer has become so integral to our banking, electricity supply and other controls of industry that a sabotage attack is capable of stopping the nation.

It is important that we develop the skills to be able to reply in kind.  A communications war where countries sought to shut down their rivals commerce could be very effective and hard to track the point of entry. The cyber war is predicted to be a weapon of the future, but in reality makes a first strike capacity.

Defence will always be a big ticket item when it comes to keeping the nation safe.  We would do well to remember our vulnerability to a cyber attack and plan accordingly. There is not much point in having the sea approach well guarded if we leave the back door unlocked - and open !

Pre-Emptive Policing !

 The New South Wales police have a programme to reduce crime that will horrify the civil liberties people, but draw enthusiastic applause from the many who have been the victims of crime.  It is known by the letters  "STMP  "and these stand for " Suspect Target Management Plan. "

It could be described as an exercise in "pre-emptive policing ". The police are now active in stopping crime before it happens and so they collate a slate of people they expect may return to crime and take active steps to see that doesn't happen.

The people who appear on that list have faced court and served whatever punishment ordered and are now released back into the community on parole.. Statistically, there is a good chance that many of them will reoffend by returning to a life of crime.

Police intervention is constant.    They can expect a knock on their door from police who have simply dropped by " for a chat ".  They may be stopped in the street and " frisked " or have their car searched when they are pulled over.  It is a constant reminder that the police are " watching them " and the results are outstanding.  There has been a significant drop in related crime statistics since it has been implemented.

Some would see this as a form of harassment and claim a person convicted and having served their punishment should be left alone, but the programme has increased the imprisonment rate by 46.5% because this intervention has uncovered a log of criminal activity that might otherwise escape detection.

Often those home visits reveal stolen goods in plain sight or the person frisked in the street is dealing illicit drugs. The fact that police can call at any time is a constant curb on criminal behaviour and serves the purpose of making many decide that crime is now simply too dangerous. 

This program has reduced property crime by sixteen percent and that includes the category of " break, enter and steal " that so offends most householders.  The thought of a burglar rifling through your most intimate possessions draws a high degree of anger.  The incidence of discomfort experienced by the   criminal fraternity by this attention is regarded by most people as warranted.

It is particularly effective in turning young people away from crime, but it includes many Aboriginal people because of the itinerant nature of their lifestyle. and this is offensive to Aboriginal elders.  It has long been the aim of society to reduce the crime rate and the STMP plan is doing just that.  Unfortunately it will  come into conflict with the aims of the people jealously guarding our civil liberties and face pressure for serious revision.  

Our courts are there to punish people  for the crimes they commit and the focus is on rehabilitation. In most respects, this STMP programme is part of that rehabilitation.  It may sound drastic, but logic certainly endorses the end result !

Unruly Classroom Problems !

 An interesting fight is brewing with both parents and teachers opposing a  State government plan to seriously reduce the length unruly students may be suspended from classes.   The new plan reduces the maximum suspension by half - from twenty days to just ten.

The NSW Teachers Federation, together with the P&C Association feel that this is a thinly veiled exercise in data suppression and blame shifting.  They have long been calling for more specialised staff to stop unmet students needs turning into poor behaviour.

Unruly - and sometimes violent students causing chaos in the classroom seems to be a growing trend and it causes the general level of learning to deteriorate.  When that happens, the reputation of the school in the community suffers.  That particular school becomes known as a " bad " school, and that brings wide ranging  social changes.

The reputation  of the local school is often the determining factor in the suburb the parents choose when looking to buy or build a home.  In fact, parents have been known to sell up and move on the basis of obtaining better education choices for their children.  The price of homes in an area surrounding a " good " school increase accordingly.

Suspension is not a penalty given lightly, but it is the only solution when a defiant student is determined to conduct open warfare within the class setting and prevent other students from reaching their potential. The school has a duty to protect its students from both class disruptions and violence on school grounds.  Some kids come from violent households and it is not uncommon to find a student at school armed with a knife. 

Sadly, it is often a student with anti social tendencies that gains the attention of like minded associates.  This " leadership " attribute results in the forming of a " gang " within the school culture, which simply magnifies the chances of disorder in the classrooms.   Suspension breaks that connection and is very helpful in restoring order.

In our ever changing world  it seems that students with " disabilities  " are included in those suspension statistics.  It seems strangely coincidental that at the same time suspension is being downgraded in NSW schools a Queensland Aboriginal mother was giving evidence at the Disability Royal Commission into the experience her nine year old son underwent.

Quaden has schondrolasia dwarfism and his travails were recorded in a  video which went viral.  His breakdown was caused by persistent name calling, being repeatedly pushed to the ground and left out of school activities.

His needs were not met until that video showing his distress was seen by a worldwide audience and she pleaded for what would become " Quaden's Law " to become the standard in Australian schools to stamp out bullying.  All too often the reaction to bullying is interpreted as noncompliance and is punished by suspension.

It seems obvious that this suspension question needs more work and a better understanding of exactly what is involved.  It needs to be the absolute last resort rather a punishment that masks the school's lack of specialist staff to provide early intervention.

It's Un-Australian !

Waverley Council has received a submission that requests that a portion of Sydney's iconic Bondi beach be fenced off from the public and converted into what is to be called the Amalfi Beach Club. It is claimed that this is common practice at beaches in the hot spots of Europe and it would introduce a new age of sophistication to Sydney's wining and dining scene.

The promoter is a man from a legal background, who is an avid fisherman and polo player.  Patrons would need to book their time at the beach and for a fee of eighty dollars that would entitle them to two hours exclusive use of the beach facilities.  They could choose from a cuisine of the finest food and liquor and  be certain their presence would be noted by the leading fashion writers.

Without doubt this seems a brazen attempt to create a place where the fashionable people of Sydney could expect to be " seen " and recorded in the social columns of magazines and newspapers.  It would probably rank in excellence in being photographed in the enclosure at Randwick Race course.

This suggestion has received enthusiastic support from some of the movers and shakers of our society, but the general masses have given it the thumb's down.  Bondi is probably the most famous beach in Australia and receives a visit from most overseas visitors.  The very thought of a section fenced off and denied to the public is seen as Un-Australian.

The scene at Bondi beach on a summer day typifies what it is to be Australian.   Citizens from all parts of this massive city come by car, tram and train to enjoy a day on the sand under the watchful eye of the surf life savers.  The beach is generally packed with people but a friendly camerarderie makes it a pleasant place to be.   The sight of a noisy group of people wining and dining in an exclusive enclosure where the public is not permitted to bring alcohol because of the danger of broken glass in the sand seems incomprehensible.

If this were to be approved it would be the tip of an iceberg.   Those exclusive diners would not wan to arrive by tram.   They would demand drop off points and there would be pressure for secure parking for their cars.  Parking at Bondi is difficult for the people that actually live there and any move to further restrict parking would be bitterly resented.

One of the attractions of having the Amalfi Club on the beach is for patrons to enjoy the view of the sea and sand.  It would be an open roof venue and that introduces a problem experienced when fine dining was a feature at Sydney's Opera House.   The smell of food attracted vast numbers of seagulls and hungry gulls snatched food off the fork on its way to diner's mouths.  A moments inattention, and your meal disappeared under a mass of screaming, fighting seagulls.  It was not an uplifting experience.

The commercial scene at Bondi has many excellent restaurants which serve liquor and for which high rents are charged. A competitor on the beach itself would not be welcomed at a time when most are barely surviving from the virus lockdown.

Hopefully, Waverley Council will have the good sense to reject this very Un-Australian idea and keep Bondi Beach for the exclusive use of ordinary Australians !

A " Suspicious " Incident !

 Last Friday, Australia got an object lesson on how vulnerable we are to the world of electronics that rules every aspect of our daily lives. The eight hundred Coles grocery supermarkets scattered throughout every state were forced to close their doors and cease trading.  This interruption lasted much more than an hour and we are told that an unexpected electronic  glitch shut down the cash register operations and made trading impossible.

Customers doing their weekly shopping were told to leave their loaded trolleys where they stood - and leave the shop. There would have been a rush of all available staff to recover perishables from those trolleys and return them to their refrigerated display cases and later this recovery would have spread to the other items being returned to the shelves.

Every item on those shelves is identified by a bar code and when the selected groceries are presented at the checkout a scanner " reads " the code and adds it to the bill.  The customer then taps the register with an item of personal ID and the computer moves the required amount of money from the customer's bank account to that of the supermarket.

In one form or another, this is the protocol that now governs the way we live, from putting petrol in our cars to paying the electric light bill. The payment method is increasingly electronic and we are gradually changing from having actual money in our pockets to paying for small change items - like a newspaper or a cup of coffee - with a swipe of our mobile phones.

Unfortunately, this aspect of modern living presents an opportunity for an unfriendly nation to disrupt our economy by way of an undeclared war, and sophisticated criminals see electronic disruption as a way of making profit from distortion.  It is very hard to pin down the actual site from which interference with our computer network originates.  Hackers elsewhere in the world can damage our system and leave no trace. We are unlikely to ever learn if that Coles outage was industrial sabotage, or a natural malfunction because such matters are a closely governed government to government secret.

The relationship between Canberra and Beijing is presently strained and we are aware that this Communist state maintains a military division tasked with intruding into the communications of competing countries to learn trade secrets.  Similar intrusion is coming from Russia and it would be very unlikely that Australia did not have a military component seeking similar entry into competitors electronic systems.

Was that Coles disruption an unfriendly nation making a point ?   Competitor Woolworths had a similar incident several months ago, and this grocery duopoly is the ideal medium to gain national media coverage.  That outage obviously cost Coles a lot of money in lost sales and disruption to customer goodwill.  In the past, criminal gangs extorted what they termed " insurance " from local traders and those that refused to pay quickly suffered suspicious fires or broken windows.  It would seem possible that international criminals may be seeking   "protection " money from Coles and Woolworths with a threat of trading disruptions.

It was recently suggested that Australia should recruit more of the clever young people who seem to understand the complexity of the electronic world.   We certainly need our own cyber warriors if we are going to mount a defence against electronic disruption.  An electronic defence is just as important as defence by way of tanks and warships !

When The Money Runs Short !

Many of our self funded retirees are in trouble.  They are the people who took their superannuation in a lump sum and probably paid a registered financial adviser to plan how and where to invest it to gain a regular income to fund their retirement.

The choices available were wide and varied.  Some put their money into term deposits when interest hovered around five percent, but the Reserve bank has consistently cut interest rates and they are now close to zero.

Some played the share market in the expectation of healthy dividends from the banks and major companies, but the coronavirus lockdown decimated profits  and those dividends have either fallen sharply or totally disappeared.  Selling those shares in a falling market will result in a loss of working capital.

Some hedged their bets by investing in real estate.  The price of houses seemed to be ever rising and it looked a safe bet to own property that brings in weekly rental money.  Then this coronavirus threw a lot of people out of work and the government imposed an eviction freeze.  An improvement is likely, but a lot of landlords are seriously out of pocket and rents are still falling.

The government has gone into record deficit to shield those out of work because of the virus lockdown and many of their employers are kept from the bankruptcy court by government aid, but nothing is being offered to self funded retirees.  Their carefully planned sources of income are being choked off and it seems likely that eventually many will be forced to apply for the aged pension.  That is exactly what the government sought to avoid when it legislated for compulsory superannuation for all.

Now the Assistant Minister for Superannuation is suggesting that self funded retirees turn to the equity in their homes as an income supplicant.  This is something those in the financial market describe as a " reverse mortgage ".

When you fully own the house you live in it is possible to ask the bank to advance money that you do not need to repay until the debt is settled by your executor after your death.  You have money to live on by clawing back those mortgage payments you made to finally own the house at the expense of what you expected to leave for your children to inherit.

That is not as simple as it sounds.  Interest will apply to that money borrowed and while the rate at present is abnormally low we should remember several decades ago when it rose to seventeen percent.  It seems certain that interest rates will eventually rise and eat away the equity you have in that former fully owned home.

A retiree finding insufficient income to pay living expenses would be better advised to sell other assets and suffer the loss of capital rather than take an open ended loan on their primary home.  That loss of capital will further erode the value of their assets and bring them into contention for a part aged pension. The aged pension is applicable to an assets test but this is not granted automatically.  Many self funded retirees were ineligible for the pension at retirement, but qualify for a part aged pension under their present circumstances.

Those suffering an income loss would be well advised to get professional help.  Rushing into a reverse mortgage solution is akin to sailing into a minefield in blissful ignorance.

Making Visa Entry Harder !

 When we opened our doors to the displaced of Europe at the end of the second world war our population swelled with many who did not speak or write English.  That was an era when it was unusual for married women to still participate in the workforce.  A married woman was perceived as a " home maker " and the male was the breadwinner in most families.

That was the era where many migrant Mums and Dads spoke little English and when the kids went to school they quickly became proficient in both English and their parents language and became the family interpreters. The government provided many English language classes and urged " New Australians " to learn English as a matter of urgency.

Than came the " Multiculturism  " era when it was no longer necessary to renounce your country of birth to become an Australian citizen and retaining your original language and customs was accepted.   Now we are again embracing change and the budget papers presented this week herald that English language proficiency  is again becoming a basic requirement for those seeking an entry visa for partners from a non English speaking country.

We are going to introduce an English language test and it will probably take both a verbal and written form.  It seems visa acquisition will be easier and faster for those who have married overseas than those who are bringing in a partner for a marriage that will take place later, here in Australia.

That sounds suspiciously like an attempt to stop the entry of illegal migrants as bogus marriage partners.  The intended marriage never takes place and they simply disappear into the swell of those here on a tourist visa who have overstayed and become illegals.

It also ignores a social change that is now an accepted way of life in Australia.  The ceremony of marriage is no longer the union of many couples in this country.  More people choose to simply live together without the blessing of the church, which frowns on the practice and insists that those cohabiting out of wedlock are " living in sin ".  In particular, young people often make multiple choices before settling on a permanent partner.

It seems grossly unfair that bringing in a partner from overseas will be assisted by the production of a marriage certificate that is being avoided by citizens already living in this country.  A high number of marriages end in the divorce court and while the Family Court now dispenses divorces without the need to  determine cause or fault, it is a costly and time consuming exercise that many couples seek to avoid.

This imposition of English on intended spouses is more contentious. The command of the English language is certainly helpful in obtaining and keeping a job.  Our migrant history illustrates many who have managed a fulfilling and financially secure life in Australia without that benefit,  including some who have gone on to found commercial dynasties that employ vast numbers of people.

English is certainly the common language of Australia and the more that speak and write it, the better for the economy, but making it an impediment to entry seems to be a big step in the wrong direction.  Making a marriage certificate proof of good intentions cements the dead hand of the churches back where it stifled the freedoms we enjoy today.   People are better judged on their merits rather than their adherence to church doctrine !

Need For Numbers Control !

Last summers bushfires certainly dealt a death blow to our Koala population and thousands died when the fires roared through their natural habitat.  The numbers have been declining for years and now there is a real danger that they may become extinct by 2050.

Those fires only lightly touched on the borders of the Kosciuszko National park and did nothing to cull the herd of wild feral horses that are increasing in numbers at the rate of about twenty-three percent each year.  The damage they are doing to the fragile alpine ecosystem is immense and yet public sympathy is preventing any effective form of numbers depletion being put into practice.

The horse is an introduced species to Australia.  They came with the first fleet in 1788 and it was inevitable that some escaped into the bush and created a wild herd that has been growing in numbers ever since.  They are magnificent animals and they feature heavily in our historic development.  Stories like " The Man from Snowy River " retell their heroic achievements and they are legendary in the Australian psyche.

In central Australia we have similar herds of wild Camels.  They too are an introduced species, brought here because of their ability to travel long distances without water. Their ever growing numbers are competing with the sheep and cattle grazing on inland stations and they lack the protective aura that the public dispenses on horses.

In recent days the public was alerted to another less well publicized menace - wild Deer.   A couple  managed to wander into central Sydney, resulting in a chase through shops and houses before they were tranquilized and returned to the bush.  They are part of an ever growing herd that is established in the National parks to the north and south of Sydney.

The people of Wollongong, south of Sydney have long complained of feral deer trampling through their suburban gardens and left unchecked the numbers are steadily growing.   Along with Kangaroos, any of these animals appearing suddenly on a road have been the cause of car crashes that often have a fatal outcome - for both the animal and the occupants of the car.

The numbers of all three need to be substantially reduced by whatever method is most humane.  In the past, shooting from helicopters has been rejected on cruelty grounds. It is impossible to guarantee a clean shot and many horses have escaped to die in agony, and poison baits distribution means a very wide circle of unintended victims.

Deer numbers could be brought under control if they were gazetted as a game species for shooters.  Venison is a prized meat and the antlers are a decoration that many shooters proudly display on the walls of their home.  A proclaimed season and adequate safety restrictions would soon cull this herd to more reasonable numbers.

Control of horses and camels is more problematic.  Hopefully, that could interest the pet food industry.  They are big animals which provide a lot of meat and the cost of trapping and killing them would be repaid as a commercial activity that delivers profit.

It is doubtful that the control of camels would bring much public opposition, but horse control is an emotive issue and would best be done out of the glare of newspaper headlines.  It has been left in the " too hard "  basket for too long !

The Idiocy of Party Politics !

For forty years whatever Federal government in office at that time has wrangled with the question of selecting a site for a nuclear waste dump to secure the radioactive material constantly generated by our hospital systems.  The radioactive isotope is an integral part of todays nuclear medicine and the waste material is presently held in over a hundred unsecure sites scattered across the Australian states.

The main danger comes from terrorists.  It has long been the a prime aim of ISIS to create a " dirty bomb " and explode it in a public place.  That would generate radioactive contamination of people and buildings that would deliver harm for many years.   The outcome of such a bomb exploded in the centre of a major city is unimaginable.

We have failed to reach consensus on a suitable site for two main reasons.  The NINBY syndrome - and politics.  Any suggested site provokes a howl of opposition from local residents, and whichever political party is in opposition at that time also rejects the plan on principle.

So far this search for a site for nuclear waste has cost the people of Australia sixty million dollars and once again it looks like being voted down in the Australian parliament.  This time the search has selected a farm at Napandee, a remote part of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia for a proposed low and medium level waste facility.

This week the political party in opposition is Labor and a decision made in caucus  rubber stamped opposition to that South Australian bid as official policy.  To get the numbers to pass the necessary legislation, the government will have to negotiate once again with its unruly crossbench., and this has provoked an angry outburst from Labor Senators Kim Carr and Alex Gallacher.

This coronavirus pandemic has forced extraordinary deficit spending to try and save the economy and get people back to work and political expediency is again blocking a very necessary outcome which both sides of politics hope to gain - when they are in office.  The sheer dogmatic weight of politics ensures they remain stubbornly opposed whenever they are occupying the opposition benches.

That is the stupidity of party politics.  The party out of office will automatically oppose anything that will give the party in office an achievable gain. The most likely outcome is that this nuclear waste dump will again fail.  That site in South Australia will be rejected and more money will be spent on a fruitless search to find somewhere else.

Two courageous Senators have called a halt to this idiocy.  We have an entire continent at our disposal and we are fruitlessly wrangling about an installation that will probably take up an area less than a mile square. Once passed in parliament, work can begin to create a secure area where the nation's nuclear waste can be safely stored with the approaches under the control of our military forces.

It is obvious that this site on the Eyre Peninsula is " as good as it gets ".  We have already rejected the Woomera rocket range and other remote parts of the inland and the issue needs a " circuit breaker " or this search will go on indefinitely.  The people of Australia have every reason to be angry at this timeless delay.

A New Discovery !

We think of new animal species being discovered as something that happens in darkest Africa or perhaps in the frozen wastes of Antarctica, but it can easily be taking place in our own backyard.  A housewife in Thirroul, a northern suburb of Wollongong was putting out her recycling bin when she noticed a spider that she had never seen before.

In this age of mobile phones with cameras, she managed to get its picture before it escaped and so Amanda De George was entranced by its unusual colouring.  Her spider had a hairy body, but its face was electric blue and it had amazing blue eyes.  In fact it was nothing like the ordinary spiders that infest her backyard.

Amanda took her photograph to Facebook where it gained a lot of interest from amateur arachnophiles and similar scientists who brought her into contact with a specialist taxonomist at a Victorian museum, who identified her spider as belonging to the " Jotus " species which are known as " jumping spiders ".  They have not before known to exist in Australia.

This scientist was very keen to examine a living specimen and so Amanda went on a spider hunt, eventually capturing one and securing it in a plastic container.  That raised the question of how to get it safely to that museum in Victoria, and here the post office was very helpful.

It is possible to send living matter through the post, but rigid conditions apply.  The container must be virtually escape proof and it must have adequate warnings that a danger exists.  All posted items are subjected to inspection by sniffer dogs seeking prohibited matter and may be opened for inspection. That raises the risk of a live spider in the post escaping and managing to bite someone when the presence of venom is unknown.

It also presented a time problem.  Any living creature needs both air and moisture to survive and the days of overnight post seem to be over.   Amanda paid a little extra to have her spider delivered by Express Post and it arrived safely within twenty-four hours.  It will now be closely examined to discover what - if any - risk it poses to people or crops now it has established itself in Australia.

The speed of air freight is ever reducing the time material takes on its journey from other parts of the world and once something becomes established here it encounters a very different climate and may breed proficiently.  It may also find that one of our important crops is attractive as food and quickly become a very serious threat to our economy.

It was fortunate that Amanda previously worked as a zoo keeper and this interest in animals caught her attention when she saw something unusual.  She took the trouble to follow through where most people would not bother and it is highly likely that her interest will have a lasting reward.

 When something new is discovered in Australia is requires an official Latin name to identify it within the applicable genus.  As the discoverer, it is highly likely that this name will honour Amanda's family name as part of that link. 

Amanda may get some joy knowing that her action will link her name in perpetuity to the spider she discovered walking across the kid of her wheelie bin.

A Lesson Hopefully Learned !

 What did we learn from the infamous Cronulla race riots that made headlines around the world in 2005  ? That hostility is certain if we allow any group of people to think they " own " a beach and have the right to stop others from using it.

Cronulla was unique because the train station was just across the street from the beach and this induced it to be a favourite for young men from the western suburbs.  Totally against the law, they kicked soccer balls around annoying beach goers and when this was not checked by the police, they started harassing girls. When a girl ran to lifesavers for protection, her harassers beatup the crew on duty and that provoked a litany of sms texts and views on talk back radio for citizens to " take back our beach ".

The scenes that followed on the television news were graphic.  Mob frenzy took over and those with even vague middle east appearance were dragged off trains and beaten.  This brought car loads of defenders from the western suburbs and running battles ensued. It was described by news commentators as " Australia's day of shame " !

Unfortunately, this issue of beach " ownership " is again raising its ugly head.  The need for isolation during this coronavirus pandemic has seen the public banned from beaches and even our famous Bondi beach has been fenced off by the police.  As we slowly emerge from  the pandemic councils responsible for beachside suburbs are coming under pressure to implement parking rules that favour beachside residents over visitors.

The suggestions under consideration vary widely, from issuing those who live in beach suburbs with car stickers that exempt them from parking rules to time allocation that allows those that live in a suburb to have more favourable access than visitors.  It certainly raises that " ownership " issue with the suggestion that those who have paid the premium prices for housing and land with proximity to a beach have some sort of divine right to control access from strangers from other parts of the city.

We are in the process of implementing new and better rail access and the road system has been improved to the extent that the vast Sydney population will have a faster and more convenient way of getting to the city's perimeter of coastal beaches.  It is simply a fact of life that the number of beaches is limited to the length of coastline our city fronts the sea.  It is inevitable that those beaches will suffer an ever growing influx of people enjoying the sand and sea.

Control of people who come to the beach by car is regulated by parking costs which determine length of stay to money.   The aim is to ensure that parking places achieve a quick turnover so that our beaches are available to all, but public transport improvements are likely to see beach numbers break existing records as Sydney gets hotter and longer summers because of global warming.  It seems to be a fact of life that most people who actually live in a beachside suburb rarely visit the beach.

It is important that beachside councils resist that " ownership " stigma that is creeping into the thinking of those lucky enough to pay for housing close by sand and sea.  Orderly crowds enjoying nature's beauty will avoid the type of confrontation that was so ugly in Cronulla back in 2005.

Limiting the numbers with access to a beach virtually guarantees that who actually "owns " the beach will be contested in the future !

A Gambling " Safeguard " !

 The pubs and clubs are facing a new threat to introduce credit cards to replace cash money when people play poker machines.  Patrons would not simply present their Mastercard or Visa card to the machine.  It would be more like the Opal card system which is used to pay bus and train fares.

This innovation is designed to curb compulsive gamblers who often dissipate  their fortune when they get in the grip of gambling mania.   The card system would introduce a control measure where the family of out of control gamblers could limit the amount permitted to be held in card reserve or ban the issue of such cards completely.

This is suggested as an alternative to face recognition cameras in all gambling venues.  The purchase and installation of such cameras is an expense that runs to thousands of dollars and people resort to such disguises as dyeing their hair and altering their appearance.  It is impossible to keep a close check on patrons when all that is required is money in their pocket to play the machines.

Unfortunately, the problem gambler is often the life blood of individual pubs and clubs.  In some instances the management provides free drinks and meals to keep the player at the machines because it is the profits from the poker machines that are keeping the venue solvent.  Without poker machines, many of the smaller pubs and clubs would be closing their doors - permanently.

If the card system is introduced there is a fear that it will drive away the typical person who puts the change from paying for a meal through the poker machines.  That person would have to have gone to the trouble of registering for a card and have it with them and it removes the spontaneuously accepted urge to " have a flutter " that prompts much of the machine access.

There is a high degree of urgency in this debate.  We are slowly coming out of the coronavirus  lockdown and it will probably take years to bring unemployment back to pre-virus figures.  It is statistically proven that times of high stress increase the number of people who gamble and also increase the size of the wagers they make in a desperate effort to achieve a financial miracle.

That is the problem with linked poker machines.  They promise miracles in exchange for a few dollars and few bother to examine the odds.  The chance of winning that massive first prize runs in million to one categories and often the machine runs congratulatory music and light displays when your winning roll of the characters pays less than it cost to pull the handle.  That display is targetted to keep you playing the machine.

At least using a card instead of money would avoid the impulse to gamble excessively if the card needed to be topped up elsewhere than at any gambling venue.  It also raises the question of whether the cards should only apply to poker machines, or be extended to horse racing, casinos and even buying tickets in the various Lotto draws.  There would be the further advantage of all forms of gambling being registered, and forgotten winning bets would automatically be credited back to the card,.

Most people gamble sensibly.  A minority don't !  The expectation of a big win is all that is necessary to induce some people to make unfortunate decisions.  It would help if winnings were not paid out in cash, but merely credited to the card.

It seems we need to protect some citizens - from themselves  !

A Wage Freeze !

The public service is the pace setter of wages in the general community and for the past nine years it has been granted a 2.5 percent increase annually, which has not been reflected in any upward movement in private industry.  Our leading economists agree that increases in company profits have not trickled downward to the average wage earner.

The New South Wales government flick passed this wage issue on to the Industrial Relations Commission and that resulted in public service wages being increased by just 0.3 % for the next twelve months. The government has been seeking this virtual wage freeze because it contends that the money would be better spent getting the unemployed into jobs. The coronavirus lockdown seems certain to swell the unemployment roll once relief plans end and that 2.5% increase would cost the state treasurer about 3 billion dollars.

There is a promise that this cut in wage increases for the public service will be for just this one year and that 2.5% increases will apply from next year onward, but we tread dangerous ground when we interfere with the cost of living.  The boards of profitable companies will take notice of that public service decision and are unlikely to reward their workers with pay increases - and Australia has seen weekly pay fairly static for the past several years.

Australian industry was overdue for a pay increase because we had an abnormally low unemployment rate.  To many this looks like a conflict between the Federal and the state government.   Canberra is  spending billions to prop up industries and stop the collapses that would inflate the unemployment roll  while the state is forcing a pay cut on essential workers to stabilize the state economy.

The two biggest sections of the state work force are teachers and nurses.  We have vastly overcrowded schools with many classes being held in uncomfortable temporary classrooms dumped on recreation areas as a semi permanent measure.  Many still lack air conditioning despite constant summer heat records being broken because of global warming.

The teachers are under pressure to prepare their students for the skills challenges that lay ahead as the workplace consists of more robotics and AI.  That challenge will involve preparing students for higher learning when they pass on to university to try and end the abyssmal dropout rate that leaves so many with no degree, but an enormous debt.

That pay freezer on nurses comes as our hospitals are emerging from the second world pandemic of modern times.  It was a time of great personal danger and many of our medical people became infected by the nature of their work of caring for the seriously ill.  It is scant reward to ask them to accept a pay cut that will last for a further year.

All tiers of government must accept the need for deficit spending to overcome this unexpected health calamity.  The cost can not be avoided by placing it on the shoulders of the average wage earner.  In particular, this freeze will have immediate effect by halting upward pay increases in all sections of industry at the very time we are urged to spend to cement the recovery !

A Cleaner World !

 Last week, China's supreme leader, Xi Jinping made an important announcement at the United Nations. He committed what is fast becoming the world's super power to becoming carbon neutral by 2060.

That is a pledge that changes everything.  When China entered the race to become the world's workshop it needed to transform from a backward agrarian economy by marshalling the biggest number of workers on the planet into a manufacturing behemoth.  With that came unbridled pollution.

China's cities are so polluted that the air its citizens breathe is the equivalent of every man, woman and child smoking a dozen packets of cigarettes a day. This fog of modern living denies them a breath of fresh air or the sight of a blue sky overhead, and even when they instituted the coronavirus lockdown their emissions continued to grow by five percent, year on year.

Importantly, that industrial base is still growing.  China is building half a dozen new electricity generating plants which will be fuelled by coal to sustain its ever growing need for more electrical power., and that coal is imported from Australia.

In fact, China remains the world's biggest coal user and we accept that the only way to stop planet Earth overheating is to reduce our consumption of coal and oil.  Such is the power of control the Chinese government exerts over industry in China that Xi Jinping's edict will be obeyed.

The rest of the world has sheltered behind China's pollution to avoid meaningful measures to reduce our own pollution output.  Here in Australia we have a vague plan to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions between 26 and 28 percent by 2030, but no target for reductions beyond that date.  Reduction plans in Europe and America are similarly varied.

There is no doubt this Chinese move will put pollution squarely into the political arena.  We are trying to negotiate free trade agreements with both Europe and America.  This Chinese statement will project pollution as a meaningful component of these negotiations for the first time, and that will overlap into internal politics.

In Australia the two main political parties have left the pollution question to the Greens and the other basic issue parties.   The impetus has been on jobs and the economy and voters have chosen to leave the pollution issue to a later election.  It now seems likely that at the next general election stopping the planet warming may become the prime issue that will influence the vote.

Xi Jinping's announcement at the UN General Assembly came at a bad time for the rest of the world. World finances are stretched thin as we try to recover from the coronavirus and the stress of trying to reduce pollution is something they would prefer to be avoided, but it is now moved to front and centre on the world trade issue.

It will become harder to justify opening a new coal mine in Australia, or to extend the life of an existing mine. We will probably have to force electric cars onto showroom floors to reduce our dependence on oil and obviously the way we earn our living will need to diverge from the harmful aspects of mining.

It looks likely that pollution control has moved to become the issue that decides the vote.  The days of putting it on the back burner - are over !

Saving The Australian Economy !

 Back in the 1950's the chance for a young man to earn a fortune was cane cutting.  It was back breaking work in the north of Queensland and first the cane fields were fired to run out the snakes and scorpions and then extraction began - by men slashing the cane with machetes.

Since then, harvesting has moved to the machine age but our vast food manufacturing area is still reliant on human labour to pick the crops, and this coronavirus has simply dried up the stream of back packers from Europe and the Pacific islands who made crop harvesting in Australia their summer holiday.

Australia seems to be becoming an oasis of calm in this pandemic, but it is still out of control in the rest of the world and our borders are closed and the airline industry is shuttered.  There is a real danger that the progressive nature of the agricultural industry here  will rot on the trees because of lack of people to pick and process the fruit.

Our weather pattern delivers ongoing fruit and vegetable crops that ripen through spring, summer and autumn so there is constant work for those seeking to avoid the northern hemispheres winter. At the same time, our recovery from the virus lockdown has created an uncertain job market.   There are indications of a jobs shortage as the recovery proceeds.

As job opportunities shorten in the cities we actually have jobs going begging in rural areas  There is opportunity for enterprising young men and women to make a change of direction and the government has wisely made that attractive to save this important component of our industrial base.

This incentive is attached to the Jobseeker benefit available to workers displaced by the coronavirus lockdown and which currently pays $815.70 each fortnight.  The government is proposing that those receiving that benefit be allowed to earn an additional three hundred dollars per week of agricultural income without any loss from their Jobseeker benefits.

This work in the agricultural sector is diverse and interesting.  It is as varied at actually picking fruit from the trees to packing it in the display containers in which it appears in the shops.   Some tasks are as simple as quality control, rejecting mishappen or hail marked fruit or placing strawberries in packs to make them look appealing.  Not all agricultural work is in the fields.   There are many jobs in the packaging sheds where fruit or vegetables are presented to look appealing to retail customers.

Young people taking up agricultural work for the first time will probably be surprised at how the machine age has intruded into the task.  In the main, it is the human eye and dexterous fingers that create the type of presentation that the market is seeking, and which at this stage of their development is far beyond the capacity of AI.

It is often said that the commercial world eventually turns full circle.  During the industrial revolution people abandoned the farms to work in factories.   Now those factory jobs are not so prevalent, the job of getting in the crops has regained its importance - and the rate of pay offering is certainly attractive !

Cannabis Oil Pain Relief !

For years we have been hearing claims from people suffering unbearable pain that Cannabis oil brings relief not available from other drugs.  Unfortunately this is still shunned by many doctors, the vast majority of whom are still to write their first Cannabis oil script.

The problem is that Cannabis  is derived from Marijuana and that is a prohibited drug subjected to draconian penalties. Doctors are conservative and they fear their reputation will be tainted.  It is only recently that Cannabis oil has received qualified official approval as a product.

Now a new company is building a plantation near Armidale in New South Wales for the commercial production of Cannabis oil.  This is the first commercial manufacturing license to be granted in this state and there is the expectation that the product will both advance locally and become a major export.

Research shows Cannabis oil is effective for the relief of chronic pain and it has been licensed for the treatment of both cancer and fibromyalgia.  Trials indicate it is effective as a treatment for managing seizures and epilepsy, anxiety, anorexia and post traumatic stress disorders. which include multiple sclerosis and movement disorders.

Interestingly, the TGA has recently released an interim decision to downgrade medical cannabis from schedule 4 to schedule 3, which would allow low dose products to be sold over the counter at pharmacies. Cannabis had two main chemical components.  THC is the main psychoactive ingredient that gives users their " high " and cannabidiol - or CBD - which does not have that psychoactive effect.  Both components are used in different levels of treatment.

It seems that Cannabis oil is fairly freely available in the drug contraband world. Analysis by the government suggests that there are 600,000 people self medicating from black market sources and just 30,000 being serviced by the legitimate market.  On that basis, this new manufacturer has a potential customer base of 570,000 people just waiting for their product to hit the pharmacy shelves.

That is probably why our conservative doctors are so reluctant to embrace. this proven method of pain relief.  They fear being tainted with that " soft on drugs " slur and so they write scripts for the highly addictive opioids.  When opioids first appeared on the market their addictive qualities were masked and patients became very insistent on demanding repeats. Doctors trying to bring change to a softer drug faced the challenge of angry patients and a change of supplier to a more compliant doctor.

It is possible that medical Cannabis may fill that vacuum.  Since 1992 , 61,000 approvals have been granted by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and most of these have been in the past few years. Pressure is building to end the opioid scourge and Cannabis oil would be hailed as a new wonder drug if it was not associated with Marijuana.

Sadly, the criminal element responsible for the drug trade saw and acted on the market potential when the medical profession didn't.  That is now fast changing and supply has gained the respectability it deserves. Another milestone in the battle against severe pain !