There has long been a certain inconsistency in the approach to liquor licensing in New South Wales. For years the citizens were treated to the indignities of " the six o'clock swill " - the era when pubs slammed their doors shut at six o'clock and prohibition reigned until the ten o'clock opening the next day.
Strangely, this prohibition didn't extend to clubs, and hence we had the situation where club drinkers could imbibe at any hour, provided that the drinker was a club member. With this came the weird restriction that drinkers on a Sunday could access as much liquor as the wanted - provided it was consumed on the club premises - but buying take away liquor was totalled banned.
Slowly - civilization crept into our corner of the world. The six o'clock swill gave way to ten o'clock closing - and over the years extended trading entered the domain - and then that was swept away with some clubs and pubs trading 24/7.
But the lawmakers stubbornly resisted the call for liquor to be available in restaurants, cafes and kiosks. Liquor licenses for such places carried a licensing fee of $ 15,000 and there were draconian restrictions - in most cases liquor could only be served if the patron also ordered a meal. As a result, licensed places were few and far between.
Now we are finally seeing sanity prevail. That $ 15,000 licensing fee will shrink to an affordable $ 500 - and liquor will be available without the need for it to accompany a meal.
It will be possible to enjoy a glass of beer or a glass of wine in congenial surroundings without going to a noisy club or pub - and be affronted with the ubiquitous array of poker machines enticing you to play.
There will be some problems - controlling under age drinking being one of them - but hopefully this state will embrace the European experience where liquor is a natural beverage to be enjoyed in moderation - in congenial surroundings.
The dark ages of the finger wagging prohibitionist seems to be fading !
Wednesday, 7 November 2007
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
The Melbourne cup !
Today, an extraordinary thing will happen right across Australia. Approaching three o'clock this afternoon shopping crowds will suddenly thin - and then disappear.
The streets will be deserted in cities like Perth, Brisbane and Sydney - and that phenomenon will carry through to minor cities and towns like Launceston, Moree, Batemans Bay and Cobar.
Those deserted streets will have disgorged the population into clubs and pubs - and in some cases the interior of shops selling electrical goods that include television sets. The one common factor is that huge numbers of people will have congregated with one thought in mind - to watch the running of the Melbourne cup.
What makes this one horse race so special ? That is a good question that has no definitive answer - but to Australians the Melbourne cup can be described as " that one race of the year ". Astronomical sums of money will be placed in bets, in many cases by people who only place a bet once each year - and that bet is on the Melbourne cup.
This year will be something of an anti-climax. Someone was careless at the quarantine station at Eastern Creek in Sydney - and equinine flu entered the country, resulting in horses in New South Wales and Queensland being quarantined - and missing a chance to run in this years cup.
Despite this - rain, hail or shine - huge crowds will line the rails at Flemington and the nation will come to a complete stop while the cup field delivers gain or pain to the punters. There doesnt need to be a reason. As long as there is a country called Australia - there will be the Melbourne cup on the first Tuesday in November !
The streets will be deserted in cities like Perth, Brisbane and Sydney - and that phenomenon will carry through to minor cities and towns like Launceston, Moree, Batemans Bay and Cobar.
Those deserted streets will have disgorged the population into clubs and pubs - and in some cases the interior of shops selling electrical goods that include television sets. The one common factor is that huge numbers of people will have congregated with one thought in mind - to watch the running of the Melbourne cup.
What makes this one horse race so special ? That is a good question that has no definitive answer - but to Australians the Melbourne cup can be described as " that one race of the year ". Astronomical sums of money will be placed in bets, in many cases by people who only place a bet once each year - and that bet is on the Melbourne cup.
This year will be something of an anti-climax. Someone was careless at the quarantine station at Eastern Creek in Sydney - and equinine flu entered the country, resulting in horses in New South Wales and Queensland being quarantined - and missing a chance to run in this years cup.
Despite this - rain, hail or shine - huge crowds will line the rails at Flemington and the nation will come to a complete stop while the cup field delivers gain or pain to the punters. There doesnt need to be a reason. As long as there is a country called Australia - there will be the Melbourne cup on the first Tuesday in November !
Monday, 5 November 2007
The doctor shortage mystery.
The hospital system reports that since there was a problem with an overseas trained doctor being accused of assisting terrorism the number of applicants for a visa to work in Australia has dropped precipitously - crippling our health system !
This raises an important question. Why are we importing doctors - particularly from emerging economies like India - which badly needs ever doctor it trains to support it's own third world health system ?
Australia is a rich, first world country. Surely we should have sufficient medical training schools to more than satisfy our own needs. Doctors here earn high incomes and there should be no shortage of young people prepared to train as doctors and enjoy that gravy train !
It seems that the problem is a doctor conspiracy. Doctors have political clout - and they use it to make sure that the supply of locally trained doctors does not threaten their income aspirations. Fees are high to deter the sons and daughters of average wage earners from seeking entry and the numbers are tightly controlled to maintain an artificial shortage.
This is particularly prevalent when it comes to specialists. Each category of specialization dictates the numbers it will allow to train annually - and selects the individuals to be certain that they are the types that will conform to the status quo - and will not become mavericks and make waves.
Doctors understand the laws of commerce. If a commodity becomes scarce - the price rises. If a commodity is over supplied the price drops. This principle is rigorously applied to make sure that the medical income levels are maintained.
The loser in this case - is the patient. Long waits to see a doctor. High fees for a short consultation.
It is time the government bit the bullet and increased spending on doctor training and made this country self sufficient for it's medical needs. Not only are we presently robbing third world countries of their valuable assets - we are also short changing our own young people of jobs that are rightfully theirs !
This raises an important question. Why are we importing doctors - particularly from emerging economies like India - which badly needs ever doctor it trains to support it's own third world health system ?
Australia is a rich, first world country. Surely we should have sufficient medical training schools to more than satisfy our own needs. Doctors here earn high incomes and there should be no shortage of young people prepared to train as doctors and enjoy that gravy train !
It seems that the problem is a doctor conspiracy. Doctors have political clout - and they use it to make sure that the supply of locally trained doctors does not threaten their income aspirations. Fees are high to deter the sons and daughters of average wage earners from seeking entry and the numbers are tightly controlled to maintain an artificial shortage.
This is particularly prevalent when it comes to specialists. Each category of specialization dictates the numbers it will allow to train annually - and selects the individuals to be certain that they are the types that will conform to the status quo - and will not become mavericks and make waves.
Doctors understand the laws of commerce. If a commodity becomes scarce - the price rises. If a commodity is over supplied the price drops. This principle is rigorously applied to make sure that the medical income levels are maintained.
The loser in this case - is the patient. Long waits to see a doctor. High fees for a short consultation.
It is time the government bit the bullet and increased spending on doctor training and made this country self sufficient for it's medical needs. Not only are we presently robbing third world countries of their valuable assets - we are also short changing our own young people of jobs that are rightfully theirs !
Sunday, 4 November 2007
A problem in a far away place !
The Kokoda Trail has an iconic place in Australian military history. The Trail is a muddy walking track ninety-four kilometres in length stretching across the Owen Stanley mountain range and connecting the western and eastern shores of Papua New Guinea.
During the second world war the Japanese invasion forces used it to try and capture the New Guinea capital, Port Moresby. Heavily outnumbered, Australian troops fought them to a standstill and untimately inflicted the first ground war defeat on the seemingly invincible Japanese Imperial army.
Today, there is a new battle brewing. An Australian company has discovered a huge deposit of copper, silver and gold adjacent to part of the Kokoda Trail. To establish a mine will result in about a mile of the trail having to be rerouted - and this has provoked strong opposition from both sides of politics.
It seems irrational to demand that an impoverished third world country like Papua New Guinea should forego the rewards that would flow from such a mine simply because it was part of the site of a battle over half a century ago. There is no particular battle event remembered at the spot where the trail would be rerouted and hence the opposition would seem specious.
The fact that the debate is occurring prior to a general election in this country would seem to have political overtones. Both sides of politics are desperate for votes and both hope that opposition to the project might swing veteran votes their way.
There has not been an outcry from the Returned Servicemens League ( RSL ) and in all probability once this election is over the whole thing will subside, the reroute will take place - and Papua New Guinea will receive a welcome flow of tax money that will enable them to improve the living conditions of their people !
During the second world war the Japanese invasion forces used it to try and capture the New Guinea capital, Port Moresby. Heavily outnumbered, Australian troops fought them to a standstill and untimately inflicted the first ground war defeat on the seemingly invincible Japanese Imperial army.
Today, there is a new battle brewing. An Australian company has discovered a huge deposit of copper, silver and gold adjacent to part of the Kokoda Trail. To establish a mine will result in about a mile of the trail having to be rerouted - and this has provoked strong opposition from both sides of politics.
It seems irrational to demand that an impoverished third world country like Papua New Guinea should forego the rewards that would flow from such a mine simply because it was part of the site of a battle over half a century ago. There is no particular battle event remembered at the spot where the trail would be rerouted and hence the opposition would seem specious.
The fact that the debate is occurring prior to a general election in this country would seem to have political overtones. Both sides of politics are desperate for votes and both hope that opposition to the project might swing veteran votes their way.
There has not been an outcry from the Returned Servicemens League ( RSL ) and in all probability once this election is over the whole thing will subside, the reroute will take place - and Papua New Guinea will receive a welcome flow of tax money that will enable them to improve the living conditions of their people !
Saturday, 3 November 2007
Warm beer !
We are becoming a more dangerous society ! This week a man died simply because he was watering his lawn - and he was doing it legally, within the time frame and on the correct day stipulated by the water restrictions legislation.
A passing stranger accused him of wasting water. Words were exchanged and finally he hosed his accuser. That led to punches - and the householder was knocked to the ground and kicked. He died of a massive heart attack and could not be revived.
Street assaults are increasing in severity and pubs and nightclubs are dangerous places to be in the wee small hours of the morning. Aggression is fuelled by alcohol, but increasingly drugs are also a factor in the unprovoked assaults.
What alarms police is the frequency of victims being " glassed " - stabbed with a broken beer glass or beer bottle. The damage is horrendous - and in recent times this seems to be becoming the chosen weapon of street thugs and bar brawlers.
The suggestion has been raised that glass be phased out in favour of plastic beer glasses. The idea will be greeted with horror by drinkers because plastic fails to hold the chill of glass - and nothing offends the palate of Australian drinkers more than the thought of a warm beer !
At this stage the idea is only a suggestion, but it seems the market is moving that way. The German Oktoberfest has already moved to plastic beer steins following a " glassing " last year, beer at the cricket is only sold in low alcohol grade - and in plastic in recent years - and many private wedding and birthday functions have adopted the practice.
The most likely immediate outcome is for late night venues to change from glass to plastic from midnight and pubs that have a history of brawling to adopt plastic as their beverage containers. It is almost certain that big crowd events such as rock concerts will abandon glass as a safety precaution.
Now all that is required is for some genius to invent a way for plastic to maintain the chill - and we will all live in a safer world !
A passing stranger accused him of wasting water. Words were exchanged and finally he hosed his accuser. That led to punches - and the householder was knocked to the ground and kicked. He died of a massive heart attack and could not be revived.
Street assaults are increasing in severity and pubs and nightclubs are dangerous places to be in the wee small hours of the morning. Aggression is fuelled by alcohol, but increasingly drugs are also a factor in the unprovoked assaults.
What alarms police is the frequency of victims being " glassed " - stabbed with a broken beer glass or beer bottle. The damage is horrendous - and in recent times this seems to be becoming the chosen weapon of street thugs and bar brawlers.
The suggestion has been raised that glass be phased out in favour of plastic beer glasses. The idea will be greeted with horror by drinkers because plastic fails to hold the chill of glass - and nothing offends the palate of Australian drinkers more than the thought of a warm beer !
At this stage the idea is only a suggestion, but it seems the market is moving that way. The German Oktoberfest has already moved to plastic beer steins following a " glassing " last year, beer at the cricket is only sold in low alcohol grade - and in plastic in recent years - and many private wedding and birthday functions have adopted the practice.
The most likely immediate outcome is for late night venues to change from glass to plastic from midnight and pubs that have a history of brawling to adopt plastic as their beverage containers. It is almost certain that big crowd events such as rock concerts will abandon glass as a safety precaution.
Now all that is required is for some genius to invent a way for plastic to maintain the chill - and we will all live in a safer world !
Friday, 2 November 2007
Troubled waters !
Sydney has one of the most beautiful harbours in the world and it would be logical to expect it to embrace harbour ferries as a preferred mode of transport.
Unfortunately the state government owned and run ferry service leaves much to be desired. It has had an unfortunate run of accidents, two with pleasure craft resulting in loss of life and then there have been the regular instances of ferries losing power, veering off course - and ramming wharves.
An enquiry into these incidents has suggested that running the service be transferred to either private enterprise - or a public/private consortium. The government has agreed to have a look at this suggestion - but insists that ferry routes and timetables - and the fare structure - would remain entirely under government control.
That sounds like a familiar recipe for disaster. Already the unions are up in arms, fearful that any move towards the private sector would mean job losses. The enquiry suggests that both the Harbourcat and Rivercat services be discontinued as the vessels are too expensive to maintain.
Many people will compare this with the response to getting the trains to run on time - by reverting to a slower, steam age timetable. The " Cat " series twin hulls were popular simply because they delivered a quicker way of getting to and from work.
Many people will dread the prospect of the government trying to stitch up another deal with private enterprise. The " Cross city tunnel " fiasco is still fresh in people's minds - with a heavy handed series of road closures trying to funnel traffic into an overpriced tunnel. The result was a driver revolt, total chaos and finally the bankruptcy of the tunnel operator.
There is a feeling in some quarters that this government would be hard pressed to successfully raffle a duck !
The best - and probably the only option - will be to get out of the ferry business and let private enterprise do the sums and make the decisions. A ferry has to compete with the car, the bus and the train. The service and timetable has to suit the user - and the price has to be right or the customers will not come and use it.
Unfortunately such finesse is usually beyond the grasp of governments. The enquiry is a breath of fresh air - and a chance to make use of this magnificent harbour and get the ferry equation right !
Unfortunately the state government owned and run ferry service leaves much to be desired. It has had an unfortunate run of accidents, two with pleasure craft resulting in loss of life and then there have been the regular instances of ferries losing power, veering off course - and ramming wharves.
An enquiry into these incidents has suggested that running the service be transferred to either private enterprise - or a public/private consortium. The government has agreed to have a look at this suggestion - but insists that ferry routes and timetables - and the fare structure - would remain entirely under government control.
That sounds like a familiar recipe for disaster. Already the unions are up in arms, fearful that any move towards the private sector would mean job losses. The enquiry suggests that both the Harbourcat and Rivercat services be discontinued as the vessels are too expensive to maintain.
Many people will compare this with the response to getting the trains to run on time - by reverting to a slower, steam age timetable. The " Cat " series twin hulls were popular simply because they delivered a quicker way of getting to and from work.
Many people will dread the prospect of the government trying to stitch up another deal with private enterprise. The " Cross city tunnel " fiasco is still fresh in people's minds - with a heavy handed series of road closures trying to funnel traffic into an overpriced tunnel. The result was a driver revolt, total chaos and finally the bankruptcy of the tunnel operator.
There is a feeling in some quarters that this government would be hard pressed to successfully raffle a duck !
The best - and probably the only option - will be to get out of the ferry business and let private enterprise do the sums and make the decisions. A ferry has to compete with the car, the bus and the train. The service and timetable has to suit the user - and the price has to be right or the customers will not come and use it.
Unfortunately such finesse is usually beyond the grasp of governments. The enquiry is a breath of fresh air - and a chance to make use of this magnificent harbour and get the ferry equation right !
Thursday, 1 November 2007
A bad smell at the town hall !
There was a hint of trouble in the air some months ago when the Independent Commission against Corruption ( ICAC ) raided the Wollongong town hall and seized documents and the hard drives of corporate computers. An uneasy silence followed.
Yesterday that silence was broken when it was revealed that an investigation is under way into allegations that a thirty thousand dollar bribe was offered to a corporate officer - or a corporate officer tried to solicit a thirty thousand dollar bribe - depending upon which side of the story is offered.
There is an old saying " that there is no smoke without fire " - and whatever the truth of the matter - sleaze will stick and the once pristine reputation of local government in Wollongong will be tainted.
Unfortunately such a suggestion was inevitable sooner or later, given the fabulous wealth to be gained by getting approval for developments in a fast growing city. There are many parts of the world where graft and corruption are a way of life and a sleaze factor has to be fitted into any business deal.
Corruption has a way of ascending from the level of a counter clerk who is slipped a few dollars to rubber stamp a document all the way to the houses of parliament where politicians obtain a " consideration " for voting in a certain way.
That is where ICAC comes in. It is beyond political sway - and in the past has pushed ahead with investigations that led to the resignation from office of a state premier - so if there has been wrongdoing in this city those involved have every reason to be shivering in their boots.
The best defence against corruption remains an independent investigative body - and a free press to report the outcome !
Yesterday that silence was broken when it was revealed that an investigation is under way into allegations that a thirty thousand dollar bribe was offered to a corporate officer - or a corporate officer tried to solicit a thirty thousand dollar bribe - depending upon which side of the story is offered.
There is an old saying " that there is no smoke without fire " - and whatever the truth of the matter - sleaze will stick and the once pristine reputation of local government in Wollongong will be tainted.
Unfortunately such a suggestion was inevitable sooner or later, given the fabulous wealth to be gained by getting approval for developments in a fast growing city. There are many parts of the world where graft and corruption are a way of life and a sleaze factor has to be fitted into any business deal.
Corruption has a way of ascending from the level of a counter clerk who is slipped a few dollars to rubber stamp a document all the way to the houses of parliament where politicians obtain a " consideration " for voting in a certain way.
That is where ICAC comes in. It is beyond political sway - and in the past has pushed ahead with investigations that led to the resignation from office of a state premier - so if there has been wrongdoing in this city those involved have every reason to be shivering in their boots.
The best defence against corruption remains an independent investigative body - and a free press to report the outcome !
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