Getting Shanghaid Pt 2
As I sit in a haze of underemployment...
...I begin to ponder on why I am in this situation. I am far from being the only one - I know "lowest unemployment rate in thirty years" simply means the way the rate is calculated has changed. These days, in Australia, if you work an hour a week you are considered employed.
Our government's reaction to certain pressures seems to have gone overboard. Even maintaining the position of top dog involves making the reserve bank more reserved than it usually is.
China's manufacturing boom and India's career ambition is having an interesting effect on the average Australian workplace. RM Williams sold out, which suggests the PM's moves to prevent such an occurence (ie workplace relations vs. the unions - 'WorkChoices') has failed. Other hints at such a notion include the fact that these WorkChoices are basically made to allow employers to pay their workers as if we were a third world country.
Why?
We've got to compete with China and India dude. We can't be selling all our blood, sweat and years of promoting 'Australian Made' up north/north-west now can we? One way of saying it would be -
Our economy is getting shanghai'd by Shanghai.
But really, so what. Are we such a worthless bunch of neo-cons that we can't change with the times as such a situation would dictate, and use our money to develop industries that can stay in Australia? Of all our land resources and financial and academic institutions is it just the view of the average paranoid schizophrenic (1% of the population is more than we think) that we won't survive?
One more question;
It may seem a bit premature but... Are we globalised yet?
Back to where we belong
...I begin to ponder on why I am in this situation. I am far from being the only one - I know "lowest unemployment rate in thirty years" simply means the way the rate is calculated has changed. These days, in Australia, if you work an hour a week you are considered employed.
Our government's reaction to certain pressures seems to have gone overboard. Even maintaining the position of top dog involves making the reserve bank more reserved than it usually is.
China's manufacturing boom and India's career ambition is having an interesting effect on the average Australian workplace. RM Williams sold out, which suggests the PM's moves to prevent such an occurence (ie workplace relations vs. the unions - 'WorkChoices') has failed. Other hints at such a notion include the fact that these WorkChoices are basically made to allow employers to pay their workers as if we were a third world country.
Why?
We've got to compete with China and India dude. We can't be selling all our blood, sweat and years of promoting 'Australian Made' up north/north-west now can we? One way of saying it would be -
Our economy is getting shanghai'd by Shanghai.
But really, so what. Are we such a worthless bunch of neo-cons that we can't change with the times as such a situation would dictate, and use our money to develop industries that can stay in Australia? Of all our land resources and financial and academic institutions is it just the view of the average paranoid schizophrenic (1% of the population is more than we think) that we won't survive?
One more question;
It may seem a bit premature but... Are we globalised yet?
