Country - City Social Divide Gets Bigger

I came across this article whilst checking out the online News events in my home state of Western Australia. To say I was a tad shocked would be an understatement.

I have no idea who the 50,000 Australians comprised. Were they all Aussies?, a cultural mix? OR WHAT?

Leads me to the point made in the West Australian Newspaper about lack of diversity in the Country.

"but there was little diversity in rural areas with most residents - 83.9 per cent - born in Australia. In cities, 63.2 per cent of residents were born locally". (see here)

From that I'm assuming cultural diversity and those figures wouldn't surprise me, but really, the point of the comment was what exactly?


Another exerpt from the West Australian Newspaper:

"Country residents were more likely to be smokers, choose beer over wine, be overweight and suffer more serious health complaints". (see here)

I would absolutely refute the above comment with the exception of the health issue and for no other reason than the medical facilities in Regional areas are somewhat lacking and in some cases virtually non existent.

I wish reporters wouldn't keep clambering over this "divide between City and Country" all the time.

Each has their own merits, pitfalls and advantages. Sure, I support Regional Australia but I also support Citys...we need them both and we need them to both work together and lose this mentality of the so called "social divide".

2012 is "Australian Year of The Farmer". (see here)

I know a lot of people all over Australia who are "over" the Coles n Woolies hierarchy. So help support the Farmers, save yaselves a buck or two, get some fresh air and hit the Farmers markets. This goes to support our Farmers, our future food bowl and country town sustainability.

Cheers

Bushy

                                                                       Photo Courtesy: Nic Ellis, The West Australian

Craig Emerson - Nationals - Australian Farmers

I've recently read an article 18.03.2012 where Craig Emerson, who is our current Labor Govt. Trade Minister accuses the Nationals of risking Australia's Agriculture future by wanting to reduce foreign investment.

Coming from a person who was a Policy advisor to Bob Hawke, I find this rather bizarre. Bizarre because Craig Emerson has a Phd in economics yet he was party to a party that took us to 17.25% interest rates in 1990 under a Labor Govt. Great economics that is.

I wonder now how Craig Emerson can possibly state:
"A 140 per cent boost to agricultural production was achievable."

Is he saying that our Farmers are under producing by 140% or that they can quite clearly operate more efficiently to produce 140% better results. Begs the question.
Got one question for ya Mr Emerson. You may have be born in Baradine, NSW a small country town, but you sure as hell lost your grass roots aye.

Craig Emerson also believes that with foreign investment:
"We can do it in a sensible way, it doesn't mean buying up the farm but it sure does mean doing what we can to reduce the vulnerability of Australian Agriculture to drought."

Sooo Mr Emerson, are you actually saying we can sell chunks of farmland off and the Chinese or whomever will parade around our regional farmlands doing a splashdance for rain to reduce our vulnerability to drought? Last I heard or saw was drought was created by lack of rain.

Also:

There had been a 0.2 per increase in the level of foreign ownership since 1984, Dr Emerson said.
Hate to correct you Mr Emerson. That may be very well the case Australia wide I'm not sure. I don't have the inclination to go searching for that figure.

What I can say is that a Chinese Govt controlled Mining entity has despatched $213 million bux buying 43 properties around Gunnedah during 209/2010 for the proposed purpose of Mining for coal.

So what you are really saying Mr Emerson is: Yup, lets do trade deals, lets sell our farmland and let any Tom Dick or Harry rip up the ground with huge mining gear, rape our great farming land and turn them into coal bowls as against what they actually were and that was food bowls!

When the Eastern States of Australia can barely produce enough wheat for its own domestic consumption why is it that we have to become this BIG AUSTRALIA? Why are you, Mr Emerson, so intent of endeavouring to secure foreign investment and or purchase of our Agriculture sectors?

Question I have is what exactly does this do for Australia's Agriculture?

My endeavour is to see the Gap between Country and City reduced but I find it rather difficult to embrace it when people want to bury their heads in the sand over such an important issue. We are a food bowl for our nation, just barely. We will be running the gauntlet in what appears to be a crusade to share the expertise, farming knowledge and prime agriculture land in a sell off ?

                                                                                                Craig Emerson   

I don't care what Political Party you represent Mr Emerson but if you think this is a representation of the Farming communities of Australia and its great people then perhaps you need to upstakes from your airconditioned office in Canberra, pull ya workboots on (if you have any) and walk out of your electorate in Rankin Qld. Toddle off over the escarpment and go and talk to some people in Regional Australia. By that I mean the whole of Australia not just the Eastern seaboard !

C'mon Craig Emerson, for the good of every Australian think twice, take a step back and have a "Mothers Look" at the situation and the concepts you are so intent on pursuing ! Or are you a hypocrite and just trying to pull votes yourself ?

Sources:  http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8437071/nats-risk-agricultures-future-emerson

               http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/chinese-mine-giant-snaps-up-43-nsw-farms/story-e6frg6nf-1226082387428

              http://www.aec.gov.au/profiles/qld/files/2009/2009-aec-a4-map-qld-rankin-v2.pdf

Cheers

Bushy

New Blogger

Country Born n Bred, I have started this Blog on something I am very passionate about, Regional Australia. In saying that I spent 30 of my 52 years in the City running an Earthmoving business. My thoughts and writings of "Bridging The Gap" are about bringing City and Country people together and not seeing either as a, "You're City", "You're Country" mentality. Would love to see your input, your stories, thoughts and constructive comments.  

Cheers

Bushy