A Particular Island Continent

[A_Wanderer]

It is a developed country that enjoyed faster economic growth than the US over the past decade. Yet it also offers universal healthcare and other social welfare benefits that the US does not. Unemployment is similar to America’s, but without the glaring income disparities that characterise US growth. It is a country that seems to have achieved a sweet spot, combining the vigour of American capitalism with the humanity of European welfare, yet suffering the drawbacks of neither. And it manages this while keeping a consistent budget surplus.

That country, rolling into its 16th year of uninterrupted growth, is Australia.

link

This may also answer the reasons why Howard gets elected again, and again, and again - toss in the resources boom for good measure. A puff piece of phoney assumptions to be sure, one that deserves to be fisked

 

[Se7en]

universal healthcare and other social welfare programs must really be a thorn in your side. thumbs up or down?

 

[A_Wanderer]

A civil society cannot exist without these things, but then im not entirely fond of civil society.

 

[zepher25]

The simple fact of the matter is that australia is the single greatest nation on the face of the earth.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I'm with se7en... you applaud these things, while having a pretty solid record on this forum as detesting the entire welfare state, in its various forms.

We have done quite well in recent years, thanks to one thing: a commodities boom. If the US slides into another recession/depression, it will no doubt take China and co. with it, and thus Australia too. We aren't that invincible.

 

[A_Wanderer]

I would recommend that people lookup the definition of 'puff piece', 'phoney assumptions' and 'fisk'.

 

[Kieran McConville]

is that to do with the link? I don't click links. couldn't be arsed.

 

[verte76]

Cool.......is the local library hiring?

 

[anitram]

You don't need to go halfway around the world to find that utopia. Just look north of Buffalo.

 

[Irvine511]

... now all you've got to do is repeal that silly gay marriage ban and i might consider moving ...

 

[intedomine]

... now all you've got to do is repeal that silly gay marriage ban and i might consider moving ...

No chance as long as the conservatives are in power, plus there's plenty of religious and "fake-christian" gay-hating bigots who like to open their big gay-bashing mouths and condemn gay marriage.

 

[intedomine]

16 Years of growth, which means the glory days of Hawke and Keating deserve some credit...

Still, it's time for a change....Gillard for PM

 

[A_Wanderer]

Bill Shorten will get a shot before she does.

 

[intedomine]

Bill Shorten will get a shot before she does.

Not Rudd?

 

[A_Wanderer]

I hope so

 

[dazzlingamy]

Australia is a beautiful country, and i love that i am australian, but i still think we don't have a true nationality, and the worshipping at the altar of americanism is frightening and sad.

Other then that, how fricken cold is it in melbourne right now? Its gotta be colder then other years surely! *shivers*

 

[A_Wanderer]

Global warming

 

[intedomine]

Australia is a beautiful country, and i love that i am australian, but i still think we don't have a true nationality, and the worshipping at the altar of americanism is frightening and sad.

Other then that, how fricken cold is it in melbourne right now? Its gotta be colder then other years surely! *shivers*

It does seem somewhat colder, but I love it....

I think we should accept that there can never be a definitive nationality. Let's just stirve for Utopia and promote tolerance

 

[Angela Harlem]

If our employment is so steady and our future so rosy, then why the IR reforms? Was it even Howard who admitted that we can't possibly support that system, thus needing to change what he built so gloatingly? Oh, by all means shove your head right up his arse.