Australians are in the grip of a cost of living crisis, with no light at the end of the tunnel.
But how many people realise we are not going to see that light until we address the issues that are exacerbating the crisis, in particular lack of support for our core industries of mining and agriculture?
While many things change, our nation’s reliance on mining and agriculture has been a constant for centuries. Yet, we now have a Federal Government trying to ‘kill the golden goose’.
Farmers recently gathered in Canberra, protesting what some are calling the most anti-agriculture government in Australia’s history.
Numerous policies are hurting farmers, and when we make it more difficult to grow food, the cost at the supermarket naturally increases.
There are many examples, none more stark than Water Minister Tanya Plibersek’s insistence on water buybacks, which are not needed and will further reduce production, cost thousands of jobs and severely impact rural communities.
These are all proven facts, yet are ignored by a minister with insufficient knowledge of her portfolio or the unintended consequences of her ill-informed decisions.
Likewise, we see mining proposals jeopardised or halted, with the Blayney gold mine a prime example of the same minister’s interference for political reasons, yet at our nation’s expense.
If Australia wants to claw its way back to being ‘the lucky country’, we could start by supporting the agriculture and mining industries that have sustained us for generations, instead of doing everything possible to reduce their productivity or shut them down - which is what we are seeing from the Albanese Government.
Yours etc.
Stephen Ball
Mayrung
18°C